Con Te Partiro
by artgalgenius
Summary: After defeating of Naraku & completing the Shikon no Tama Kagome returnes to her time & finds she's object of attention of mysterious modern youkai. Inuyasha chooses to follow his heart beginning a journey Kagome & Inuyasha never thought they would make..
1. Chapter 1

**Con Te Partiro**

**_(I Will Go With You)_  
**

Changes In The Wind

A cold wind calmly blew through the leaves of the Goshinboku, barely disrupting the early evening calm of the Higurashi Shrine. It was an unusually cool night with a clear view of the stars. Despite the evening chill, the family cat was lolling around on the ground looking up at the Goshinboku. Inuyasha sat in its branches feeling the coolness of the wind softly brush over his skin and hair.

"That breeze suits my mood," he muttured as he looked away from the house where the Higurashi's were celebrating. He should have been ecstatic as the jewel had finally been completed and whole once again one week prior, roughly three years after it was shattered. Naraku had been destroyed two years prior, but the evil demon knew that his demise was evident and split his large piece of the jewel into several large pieces that took two years to collect. The end of the journey left him somber and feeling alone again.

Kagome was inside celebrating with the rest of her family. She had just been accepted to a university nearby and was ecstatic about several other inquiries from other universities, some of them in Europe. An essay she wrote about wishing on the Shikon no Tama that was published in an internationally renowned journal had help to ensure that. She had also muttered something about plans for the shrine and her future. Being a powerful miko, she was to protect its mysterious artifacts, many of which possessed strange powers and auras. But her mention of the future did not mention one thing…

"Inuyasha!"

"Oh, Kagome," Inuyasha replied, hiding the anguish in his voice. "What do you want?" He smiled at her from the branch he was perched on, the soft breeze carrying a few silky tendrils of white hair about his face.

"You've been awfully quiet since dinner. Are you okay?" She frowned at his somber form on the limb. Inuyasha leapt from the tree and landed next to Kagome.

"Hmph, I'm fine! I'm a hanyou after all." Kagome squinted at him, disbelieving him all the same but saying nothing. She would press the matter later.

"Then lets go inside," she smiled grasping his hand and leading him to the house. She paused as she reached the door as she felt a strange aura. She felt it earlier that day as she got home from school, but shook it off as paranoia. But sensing it again made her curious.

"Do you feel that Inuyasha?"

"Feel what?" Inuyasha asked. She looked in his eyes, startled to see how lifeless they were.

"C'mon, lets go inside," she said again tightening her grip on his hand, looking over the grounds as she closed the door behind her. Buyo, tiring of the Goshinboku, followed the pair inside.

Inuyasha found himself in the kitchen once again with a steaming cup of hot chocolate shoved in his hand and Mrs. Higurashi offering him a large piece of cake, which he absentmindedly accepted and watched as Kagome open up a box with printouts of her published essay.

"We can sell these to visitors!" Jii-chan was saying holding the paper up causing Inuyasha to smirk. The old man sure liked money.

"And who would want to buy that? Why can't we just give them out for free?" Kagome argued back. The hanyou just sat at the table, ignoring the dessert before him as he watched the two of them argue.

"Inuyasha!" Mrs. Higurashi said, lulling Inuyasha out of his stupor.

"Yes," he replied softly.

"I need to talk to you," she said. Inuyasha was puzzled. She had never needed to talk to him about anything before, except for one embarrassing conversation he had spent the greater part of two years trying to forget. He nodded and followed her upstairs to her bedroom.

"I got a little something for you the other day," she said handing him a shopping bag as she sat on the edge of her bed. Inuyasha curiously took the bag and sat next to her and looked into its depths.

"Clothes? What for?"

"Well I figured you and Kagome might want to go out together sometime," she began with a mischievous look in her eye that startled Inuyasha, causing him to blush slightly. "And I figured you might want some modern clothes to wear."

_ Is she setting us up or something?_ Inuyasha's mind thought stammering. The thought was enticing.

"Do you not like them?" she asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice. Inuyasha did not mind the clothes at all. They were just jeans and simple shirts much like the ones he had seen in his visits to Kagome's time. He was for all points and purposes literally stunned that someone other than Kagome would go out of their way to help him, especially with the subject of love.

"No, they're fine," he stammered. "Th-thank you." Mrs. Higurashi smiled, but Inuyasha could tell that she did not just want to give him a present. He just hoped it wasn't another embarrassing conversation about birth control methods in detail, which left the hanyou several shades of red and unable to look at Mrs. Higurashi or Kagome without considerable discomfort for a month after. He gazed at a worn corner of tatami mat, dreading her next choice of words.

"Inuyasha, there is something else we need to talk about." Inuyasha nodded, diverting his eyes from the tatami mat to his claws as he shifted uncomfortably. "As you know, I worry about Kagome a lot. I understand that she is a miko with considerable power. But I'm worried that even here she could be a target for anyone to make use of her gift." The hanyou let out a breath of air in relief.

_ Good! I don't want to talk about condoms again_, Inuyasha thought. Slaying demons was easy. Talking about human biology had made him ill.

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha asked, trying to convince himself that Kagome was safe in her era.

"A mother always knows."

"Yeah right," Inuyasha scoffed.

"Don't knock it," Mrs. Higurashi said tugging on Inuyasha's ear, causing him to blush, amazed at how this woman was so much like his own mother. "But seriously, I've been sensing something strange around the shrine lately. And today, I felt some ominous presence. I can't help but feel that Kagome may be connected to it." Inuyasha looked up, recalling Kagome's premonition earlier. He did not say anything, however, not wanting to worry the woman.

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Of course, I want you to help keep an eye on Kagome. This shrine holds some powerful objects and I would hate to see them fall into the wrong hands. Just watch over her as much as you can. That's all I ask."

"You don't need to ask. I'll always look over her," Inuyasha earnestly said. "And fighting off demons is my specialty!"

"I know dear," she calmly said patting him on the back. "C'mon, Kagome is probably looking for you, but don't let her know about our conversation. She's got enough to worry about." Inuyasha understood and nodded. The miko was carrying enough on her plate as it was. And just as the woman predicted, Kagome was trudging up the stairs looking for him, carrying the hot chocolate and cake he had abandoned with her.

"So what did my mom want?" she cheerfully asked, deftly dodging Buyo as he ran under her feet.

"Not much," he lied, not wanting to make her worry. "Just wanted to give me some clothes she got."

"Cool," she shrieked as she set the dessert on her desk and began to dig through the bag, pulling out several garments. "Wow, these are really nice! She must really like you."

Inuyasha took a seat on the floor against the wall inhaling the cake as if it were the last piece of food on the planet watching Kagome hold up a pair of jeans.

"Hey, Kagome," he called between bites. "What the hell is this?" Inuyasha held up a wooden massager that resembled a bug he found on the floor.

"That is, um, for your pressure points I think," Kagome explained as she contorted her face in concentration. Inuyasha frowned looking at the bizarre object.

"Is this another one of that Hojo's stupid remedies?" Inuyasha was familiar with the teenager and his 'remedies' and never considered him much of a threat other than to his sensitive nose.

"Yeah," Kagome sighed.

"I can't believe that moron managed to reproduce," the hanyou smirked referring this opinion of Akitoki Hojo, ancestor of present day Hojo.

"Inuyasha!"

"I still haven't forgiven him for that foul smelling _thing_ he brought you!" Kagome smiled, recalling the pungent mixture of herbs meant to help ease the pain of neuralgia. Inuyasha had entered the kitchen, took one sniff of the air, and quickly ran into the bathroom. Only to return moments later looking rather pale.

Kagome watched as Inuyasha frowned, suspecting that he was thinking of those foul smelling herbs again.

"So can I kill him?" he eagerly asked.

"No!" Kagome retorted back almost laughing. Inuyasha smiled, listening to the wind as it blew through the branches of the trees just outside the window feeling apprehensive about what was to come.


	2. Chapter 2

A Dark Ray of Sunlight

Sunlight shone through the large windows of the classroom tantalizing the rows of students dressed in crisp uniforms with its promise of warmth and freedom. Even the teacher, a portly man with gray hair and thick glasses, found it difficult to deliver a fascinating lecture and instead chose to drone on about the rise of communism in the twentieth century.

Kagome sighed as a ray of sunlight landed on her desk, but it had the opposite effect on her. She should have been listening to the teacher, but once again she found her thoughts drifting to a certain hanyou. Something was obviously troubling him, but either he did not know how to describe the feeling or would not say. Kagome knew it was most likely the latter although there were a few times when he would choose the former.

Taking her pen, she absentmindedly scribbled a crescent moon in the corner of her notebook: the symbol of the house of Taisho. Just days before the last shard was retrieved, Inuyasha had described the complexities of his youth.

"Myoga used to say to me that my father had great hope for me before I was born," Inuyasha explained that day as they sat their backs leaning against the trunk of the Goshinboku in front of Kagome's house. The sun was out, much like it was outside her classroom window, and a soft breeze was blowing through the trees.

"But my father died the day I was born leaving my mother to raise me alone. It was not easy for either of us, but she tried to honor my father's wishes for me as best she could and had me schooled in what my father thought important. My mother and I were always being taunted, though. She used to cry at night when she thought I was asleep, but I could hear her. And then, she was gone and I had to fend for myself. I don't go a day without thinking about her." His voice was soft and low, brutally honest.

"That is very honorable Inuyasha," Kagome gently replied, taking Buyo into her lap. Her heart ached, though, as she knew no words could comfort his pain. The wounds had festered far too long. But perhaps, she hoped, his brave confession was the beginnings of his soul being made whole again.

"Feh," Inuyasha quietly scoffed before continuing. The story turned even darker with the rest of his childhood spent alone fighting for his life, the gritty details left out. When Kagome inquired further, her companion gave a simple reply.

"I don't want to give you nightmares Kagome," Inuyasha quickly explained, his voice betraying the anguish beneath. She had numbly nodded to his terse reply, satisfied for the moment of his brief confession. But she wanted to know more, which led to her current musings in history class.

_Inuyasha, what are you up to now? _Kagome mused, her hands resting in her chin as she gazed upwards._ What is going on inside that head of yours?_

Inuyasha was sitting in the branches of the Goshinboku enjoying those same rays of sunshine that percolated through the leaves of the tree. In his hands was the latest issue of _Shonen Sunday_, which Sota had passed on to the hanyou once he was done with it. Yet he found himself reading the same page over and over.

He knew changes in Kagome's life were coming and he found himself particularly troubled of what was to come.

_I'm probably going to end up alone again_, Inuyasha sighed, finally letting his greatest fear surface. _Why would she want to hang around a hanyou when she could resume her comfortable life?_

The hanyou bitterly smiled as a strong wind blew his thick mane into his face, which made Mrs. Higurashi giggle as she passed under the tree.

"Inuyasha, I think I've got something to keep your hair in place!" she called into the branches, holding something red in her hands.

"I don't need anything!" Inuyasha scoffed from his branch on the tree, determined not to succumb to her 'tricks'. But once she sighed and rolled her eyes, he knew he had lost that battle before it even began.

"Are you sure?" she said glaring at him the way his mother used to whenever he protested.

"Fine," he said dropping from the branch, crossing his arms in one last bid of defiance. What was it about these Higurashi women that made him want to do their bidding? Deep down Inuyasha knew why, he craved the attention for the split second it made him feel not so alone. He smiled when he saw that it was a red bandana.

"This will also cover your ears as well," Mrs. Higurashi explained securing it in place.

"Feh," Inuyasha mumbled with a slightly slumped posture. As much as he enjoyed the attention, it also caused great pain for he knew he would end up alone again. Mrs. Higurashi's motherly instincts, however, were telling her the young man before her was troubled.

"Is something bothering you dear?" This simple question nearly caused him to jump up from his position. He didn't know how but the woman _knew_ he had been upset but he found it unnerving.

"I'm fine," Inuyasha grunted, straightening his shoulders to hide any distress.

"You don't have to suffer in silence," Mrs. Higurashi reassured, resting her hand on his back. "Kagome will always be there for you, you know that. And I and even Sota and Jii-chan are here if you need anything." Inuyasha merely flicked his eyes in annoyance. Before he could retort, a light breeze carried a strange scent to the hanyou's sensitive nostrils. It was musty.

"Get inside," Inuyasha said through clenched teeth as he jumped high into the air to land on the roof of the shrine. Mrs. Higurashi stiffly nodded. She too had felt some thing, although she was not sure what it was.

Mrs. Higurashi watched, as he leapt off the shrine roof into the Tokyo city skyline, amazed at his speed and acrobatic ability. If it were trouble, he would be able to deal with it. She had these senses all her life and until Kagome fell into the well, she did not realize it was a burgeoning spiritual power yearning to break free.

Inuyasha had bounded the rooftops across several city blocks, determined not to loose this scent. It was definitely youkai, possibly moth. Of all youkai, Inuyasha particularly despised the moth youkai the most. These creatures were associated with particularly horrid memories including one frightening transformation and the near loss of his friends and a confrontation of his greatest fear, lonliness.

"You think you can outrun me," Inuyasha said to no one in particular as he spotted the youkai in human form with long black hair and modern clothing in the distance. He hopped from rooftop to rooftop, relishing the rush.

The youkai just up ahead moved as if he knew he was being followed. It dropped from the rooftop down to the street below. Inuyasha followed suit but quickly found himself in a deserted but clean alley. He followed the scent but it only led to a crowded shopping district of neon lights, loud pachinko parlors, and automobiles.

And just as quickly as it appeared, the scent was gone. There were too many unfamiliar scents and sounds. Frustrated, Inuyasha headed back into the shrine to talk to jii-chan and Mrs. Higurashi

Jii-chan and Mrs. Higurashi listened attentively to Inuyasha's tale, concern slowly growing on their faces. Despite the warm sunshine, all three grew cold at the realization that youkai did in fact exist in the modern era. A sudden gust of wind and dried leaves interrupted their thoughts.

"Are you sure?" Jii-chan asked, looking more hurt than skeptical. He had always believed in his own spiritual powers and was now looking as if his own powers failed him.

"Relax old man. I'm half youkai so I can sense a youkai faster than any human. Ask Kagome," Inuyasha explained as if it were no big deal. "Besides you were inside the shrine which makes it difficult to sense things sometimes." Mrs. Higurashi stared at Inuyasha's lie and smiled at his surprising show of maturity. Her father had no special powers and from the look on his face felt crushed.

"But what was he doing around here?" Mrs. Higurashi interrupted.

"Maybe he's interested in the well, the jewel, or _something else_," Inuyasha replied eying jii-chan.

"Everything is secured, I assure you," the old man replied closing his eyes and raising a finger in the air for added effect. Inuyasha could only glare at him.

"Really? What about the noh mask? Sounga? I don't want any more of your old crap biting me in the ass!" He was waving a fist in the air to get his point across but paused when he saw Mrs. Higurashi advance on him.

"Inuyasha! Watch your language!" Mrs. Higurashi scolded, roughly tugging on an ear.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" he cried out and was about to say something rude but wisely decided against it. He meekly looked down at the floor and merely replied with a quiet, "sorry."

Mrs. Higurashi let go of the ear, suppressing a giggle that was not missed by the hanyou, who rolled his eyes but soon stiffened as he caught a whiff of Kagome's scent in the wind. "Um, I gotta go!" Inuyasha quickly took off towards the well house leaving jii-chan confused.

"What was that all about?" the priest asked.

"Do you want to deal with Kagome's temper?" Mrs. Higurashi offered as she exited the shrine. Jii-chan had witnessed more than his share of the pair's arguments and smiled. He was not in the mood to try to decipher their complex relationship.

"You've got a point," he said heading for one of the storage sheds, making himself scarce.


	3. Chapter 3

Seekers of the Miko

"I can't believe he got away," Inuyasha quietly said in barely a whisper as he reclined in a tree overlooking a vast rice field of Japan 500 years past. Unrelenting sunlight beat down on the fields offering no relief to the men and women who waded knee deep in the water. Despite the large straw hats they wore to shield their faces from the sun, sweat dripped down their foreheads as they stooped to tend to the young rice plants oblivious to the young hanyou watching over them.

Inuyasha Taisho was ignoring the young fox youkai child that played at the base of the tree and closed his eyes lost in thought. He did not move other than for the small twitch of an ear every now and then and frequent sighing.

_Babysitting the runt_, he growled in his mind. _How undignified._ Inuyasha had wanted quiet to think, but Shippo followed him. Nevertheless, he tuned the child out to think about his discovery the previous day.

Other than the faint scent of a youkai in the breeze he smelled the day before, nothing out of the ordinary had been witnessed since. But what puzzled the hanyou the most was that prior to completing the jewel, he could not scent out any youkai in Kagome's era. As the jewel neared completion, Inuyasha was starting to pick up the scents of youkai and strangely a larger number of hanyou than in the Sengoku Jidai. Had history been altered by the shattering and reassembly of the jewel? Or, had history been righted?

"Inuyasha, did you make Kagome mad again?" Shippo finally asked, sarcasm evident in his voice.

"No," the hanyou frowned in a low voice, the twitching of his ear the only indication of his annoyance.

"Then where is she?" The fox child prodded, ignoring the hanyou above him who was still clenching his teeth. Inuyasha wanted to say more to the child, but was so absorbed in his thoughts that he could not think of anything constructive to say.

"She is meeting some friends to study," Inuyasha replied in a calm voice trying not to get angry.

"Why?" Shippo prodded on not noticing the irritation rising in the hanyou's voice.

"She has exams," Inuyasha harshly voiced. "No more questions please, Shippo."

"Meanie," Shippo whined as he chased a butterfly. "I sure wish Kagome was here. _She_ would be nice to me."

"Feh, whatever," Inuyasha mumbled, returning to his thoughts only to be brought out of his reverie seconds later by the scent of an unknown youkai. Sitting up in the tree limb, he could feel the blood rush through his veins. The beast was headed their way.

"Shippo, go back to the village," Inuyasha harshly instructed as he jumped from the tree to land before the child.

"Why?" Fear crossed the child's face as his eyes grew large.

"There is a youkai coming. I think it sensed the jewel and is coming after it." The youkai, a large snarling beast that resembled a large boar was in the clearing within seconds. Inuyasha could only hope that Shippo had enough time to escape.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha sneered as his hand snaked its way to the hilt of his sword. "This is a human area, not a youkai area."

"I've come for the jewel." Inuyasha sighed and rolled his eyes. It was always about the jewel. He was beginning to resent the cursed thing as it caused him more drama and suffering for him to endure in one lifetime.

"What jewel?" He lied trying to decipher what the youkai knew.

"The Shikon no Tama. It was here. I can feel it!" he growled as saliva shot out of his mouth. Inuyasha winced in disgust.

"Oh that jewel! Ain't seen it around lately," Inuyasha sarcastically spat out as he dodged a club. He knew he would have to fight this battle alone. Miroku and Sango were at the youkai slayers village and few at Kaede's village were strong enough to withstand a youkai. Yet this was a relatively weak youkai, and Inuyasha was confident he could beat it.

The hanyou unsheathed Tetsusaiga and ran towards the youkai. The youkai, seeing this ran toward Inuyasha. Smirking, Inuyasha sliced the club in half.

"Don't think that will stop me half-breed!" The boar was snarling at him, rubbing one fist in his other hand. Inuyasha slung tetsusaiga over his shoulder and merely sighed, rolling his eyes in annoyance. He could either end it once and for all with the windscar or do it the hard way.

Inuyasha was frustrated about loosing the youkai the day before and was looking forward to a good fight, so he chose the latter. He leapt and swung his sword but while this youkai was large and bulky, he could move with incredible speed.

"You can't beat me, half breed!" the boar smirked as a swing of his club sent Inuyasha flying. He let go of tetsusaiga as his hands connected into the ground and rolled onto his feet. The youkai ran towards him wildly swinging his club.

_He's fast and strong but he's an idiot_, Inuyasha thought jumping up in the air wondering how he was going to get tetsusaiga back. The hanyou only had seconds to leap out of the way of a broken club but still felt it connect with his body sending him hurtling backwards.

"You aren't worth the effort weakling!" The beast stood and taunted giving Inuyasha a moment to survey where his beloved sword lay.

"I'm just getting started!" Inuyasha shouted leaping towards the testusaiga which lay glistening on the sun in the grass.

"You can barely fight me off!" The beast spat out, saliva dripping off its fangs, as it positioned himself between Inuyasha and the tetsusaiga.Thinking quickly, Inuyasha reached for the sword's sheathe as he landed on his feet.

"Tetsusaiga! Come here!" Inuyasha hissed holding the sheath up. He leapt to catch the sword, flipped in midair and landed before the nameless youkai. The boar glared at Inuyasha, noticing the intensity of his gaze. Inuyasha merely slashed the sword through the air sending the windscar in the youkai's direction.

"Impossible," the beast cried in his last seconds of life. However, the battle was not yet over. A second youkai appeared as the dust and smoke of the windscar cleared. She had been hiding amongst the trees, waiting to make her next move.

"What the hell is going on?" Inuyasha cried as he ran to face his new enemy, a centipede youkai. This would be an easy opponent, but Inuyasha wisely decided not play a game of cat and mouse like he did with the boar.

"A half breed, this should be easy," the centipede taunted as she ran towards Inuyasha, who quickly jumped out of the way. Inuyasha was still winded from the last youkai and was wondering if more would be coming. He had to finish this one off quick.

"Just die!" he cried out as he watched the youkai disappear in the blaze of the windscar. He softly landed on the grass looking at the scorch marks on the earth and sighed. "A little overkill, but at least she's dead."

"Inuyasha, are ye alright?" Inuyasha turned to face the village priestess Kaede who was frowning at the scorch marks and smoke in the clearing. "We had to fight off a few youkai."

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied panting leaning on his sword. "What's going on? Naraku has been dead for a while. Why is everyone coming for the jewel now?"

"The jewel as a whole emanates great power. It appears many youkai have been following its trail, which ended here. And from the looks of it, you and Kagome are who they are after."

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered sheathing the tetsusaiga. "Is in her world with the jewel so she is safe for now."

"I suggest she should stay there for the time being until we can clear this up," Kaede instructed with much sadness in her voice. She had hoped that perhaps Kagome would follow in her footsteps and become a powerful miko one day, but deep down she always suspected that she would have to return to her world once the adventure was over.

"I'll let her know," Inuyasha announced leaping toward the well.

Kagome stood before her locker, removing her indoor school shoes. Something in the air had not been right for the past few days. It was as if she could sense the aura of a strange youkai. Yet she should not have felt this, as there were no youkai in her era. Perhaps, her mind wandered, it was something else. In addition, Inuyasha had been acting strange. She was sure she saw that the well house doors had been open yesterday.

_He had better not be following me?_

"Higurashi."

"Hello Hojo," Kagome proclaimed cheerfully with not a care in the world. "What's up?"

"Exams are coming up," he explained with an unusual bit of seriousness to his tone. "Do you want to get together to study?"

"I've already been doing that with Eri, Yuka, and Ayame," Kagome replied stepping into her loafers. "Would you like to join us?"

"That would be great," Hojo agreed more cheerfully. "That'll get us through more material quicker." Kagome inwardly groaned as she noticed a familiar glint in his eye. She should have liked the boy who walked next to her. He was kind, cheerful, and fun to be around.

Yet he did not make her feel warm and sweaty the way a certain hanyou did. How could she give herself to an ordinary man after being in the embrace of a strong hanyou? It puzzled her how often they ended up in close physical contact but did not push beyond that. Kagome could have sworn that sometimes she could even feel warmth right between her legs. She did not have these feelings until recently, and they had been growing in intensity.

"Are you okay?" Hojo asked, noticing how red her face had become as they reached the school gates. He gently placed an arm around her.

"I'm fine," Kagome said through gritted teeth as she plucked his arm off her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Hojo offered. "I did not mean to. I was afraid you were going to pass out."

"It's okay, Hojo," Kagome said turning to face him as they made their way down the crowded Tokyo streets. "We're meeting at WacDonalds to go over math."

"Are you guys having a hard time with math?" Once again that confident smile spread across Hojo's lips.

"Yeah, all of us except Ayume of course," Kagome explained much more animatedly. "She has always been good at math, unlike me."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Kagome," Hojo offered still smiling. "You've missed so much school that it's hard to keep up."

"Thanks," Kagome earnestly replied as they reached WacDonalds. She sucked in a breath, however, as Hojo opened the door for her, not from his kindness but from the sensation of a youkai presence overtaking her. This was stronger than ever before and her three years in the Sengoku Jidai had strengthened her spiritual powers to the point where she did not question her senses.

"Are you sure you are fine?" Hojo suddenly asked.

"Oh I'm fine. I thought I saw my cousin," she lied. But as she turned to take one last glance at the street she spotted him. He was too beautiful to be a human with long flowing brown hair and unusual blue eyes. And he was looking straight at her with no shame or emotion in his eyes. Kagome squinted her eyes at him and observed him look up before disappearing into the crowd. She shook her head and turned into the restaurant.

On a rooftop nearby, a certain hanyou was watching the movements of the adolescent as she left the school and walked down the street with her male companion, the scene sickening him. He had been so certain that Kagome had no interest in the adolescent boy. Yet, something in his mind had held him back from jumping down and showing that boy who was boss.

Inuyasha sniffed the air, but did not smell anything out of the ordinary. It just smelt of humans going about their daily business. He felt his body stiffen as his nose suddenly picked up the scent of a youkai and observed a man emerge from the corners and glare directly at Kagome. The youkai was not extraordinary at all. He had shoulder length dark hair and was dressed in black.

"So we finally meet," Inuyasha hissed.

End Chapter.

Authors Notes: Thank you for everyone who reviewed and added my story to their alert list. It makes me feel honored but a little pressured because I want to make a good story. I'm trying to keep this culturally accurate. So if I get anything wrong, please let me know. The story takes place in Japan so I've been doing a lot of research for this story. In Japan, students wear special shoes indoors which they often show in the anime.

Inside the school, the students wear white lace up shoes but outside they wear loafers. This goes along with the idea that shoes are removed when entering a house. This is done because shoes can damage the tatami mats that are used to line the floors (as can be seen in Kagome's house). Fresh tatami is supposed to have a sweet and pleasant scent.


	4. Outsmarted

Outsmarted

A red blur took off from the roof of the building, unnoticed by the hordes of people on the street below too intent with their own business. The mysterious youkai with the dark hair raised his eyebrows and jumped back out of Inuyasha's reach.

Inuyasha landed in front of the dark haired youkai, their faces an emotionless mask as the strong winds blew tousled both of their hair. Squinting against the sunlight, Inuyasha noticed how unusual his scent was. It appeared as if he was somehow masking it, hiding his true identity. Never one for formality Inuyasha demanded, "Who the fuck are you?"

Inuyasha was greeted with a sneer, "Go mind your own business."

"It's my business to know what you want with that girl!" Inuyasha glared back running toward the youkai, who quickly leapt onto the next building laughing. Inuyasha followed, swiping at the strange youkai with his claws creating a blur of movement. His opponent moved in time with him, leaping backwards with the grace of a dancer.

"Oh, so she is your girlfriend" the youkai laughed spitefully. "Could've fooled me the way she was all over that boy!"

"Don't even speak about her that way!" Inuyasha roared as he sent his foot colliding with his opponent's chest, colliding with him but not injuring him.

"I'm tired of you insolent spoiled brats!" he shouted flipping backwards out of the way of another of Inuyasha's attacks. "Strutting around like you own half of Japan!"

"What in the hell are you going on about?" Inuyasha grunted as he narrowly dodged a kick. The hanyou only had seconds to leap up as his opponent swung a leg under him and quickly jumped up and spun around his leg colliding with Inuyasha's abdomen.

To Inuyasha, it looked as if his opponent was dancing. Every kick, swipe, and turn looked rehearsed yet natural at the same time. Tentatively he reached towards the hilt of his sword which aroused snickering from his strange opponent, "A youkai sword I presume! I bet you don't even know how to yield it kid!"

"I'll show you," Inuyasha shouted unsheathing his sword, smirking at the astonished look of his opponent. He lifted his sword over his head exclaiming, "Let me demonstrate!"

The dark haired youkai looked around at his surroundings, at the sun baked tall buildings and the crowded streets and sidewalks below. "I dare you," he taunted gesturing to the people below.

Growling, Inuyasha sheathed his sword, barely having enough time to dodge a fist aimed at his head. He launched himself backwards catching himself with his hands before returning to his feet. Panting, Inuyasha ran towards punching him in the face. His opponent stumbled backwards but spun around send a kick into Inuyahsa left arm, a jolt of pain shooting through his arm as he could hear the bone crack but not break.

Angry, Inuyasha leapt forward ready to attack but was surprised when his opponent grabbed his fist, pulled him closer throwing him to the ground. He then leapt in the air and stopped, his foot mere centimeters from Inuyasha's nose.

"Who the fuck are you?" Inuyasha grunted. He leapt backward and landed on his feet, "I'm Haburigami."

Seconds later, he vanished but he was too quick to follow. Inuyasha sulked on the rooftop of a skyscraper after having lost his fight with Haburigami. He wasn't exactly powerful as far as youkai were concerned but was easily able to dodge each and every one of Inuyasha's attacks.

_It's as if he outsmarted me_, Inuyasha glumly thought resting his chin in the palm of his hand. He knew he was stronger and more powerful than his opponent and should have easily defeated him. But this was not the open spaces of the Sengoku Jidai and Inuyasha could not afford to kill innocent lives.

As he gazed over the Tokyo skyline, he could not help but feel trapped. Inuyasha could not fight as he wanted to. During their battles against Naraku, they had been fortunate that the majority of the battles had not occurred in the more inhabited areas such as Kyoto. But now the hanyou was faced with such a prospect. He was going to have to rely on his wits rather than just his sheer power.

Perhaps, he thought, he should go to Kagome and tell her everything. He would be going against her mother's wishes, but he was sure Kagome could sense the strange auras of the strange youkai that had been following her. She was no fool, but she had a habit of keeping things to herself. But there was something else; Kagome could always mysteriously make him feel better and his bruised soul needed some comforting. Gripping his injured arm, he stood up and leapt off the tall building.

Not my strongest chapter, but it gets the story moving. Thanks to everyone who added my story to their alert/fave list. That really motivates me to keep writing knowing that you are interested in what comes next.


	5. Putting The Pieces Together

Putting the Pieces Together

It was a beautiful day Kagome surmised as she gazed out the windows of the restaurant as she watched as people quickly strolled by. She had wanted to feel careless as she once had, but knew that was impossible. In the Sengoku Jidai, she was considered a miko and worshipped like royalty. In the modern era, her experiences had made her feel disconnected from those around her even her classmates that sat around the table with her at the moment.

She fought the urge to flee from the restaurant. More than anything she wanted to start over on her own terms where no one knew of her abilities or of her past. More than anything, she wanted to be treated as and feel like a normal person once again. But as she entertained these thoughts while she sat at the table, one name entered her head and seared her heart.

_Inuyasha_

Kagome knew she could not leave him. Orphaned at a young age abandoned by his brother as a child, she knew he was still suffering. Physical scars heal rather quickly. But emotional scars sometimes never truly heal and it was obvious in his harsh tone and brush mannerisms and in his awkwardness. He was only trying to protect himself from more pain.

"Higurashi," Hojo suddenly said drawing her out of her musings and back to her studies. "Are you still having problems with integrals?"

"No, they're starting to make sense. I'm only having trouble with this one proof," she explained pointing at her notebook. Hojo smiled only too happy to offer his help, "Oh let me show you."

Kagome cringed slightly at his actions recalling his bold actions earlier. She forced the image out of her mind and nodded as Hojo and Ayumi explained the problem to her.

"Does that make sense?" Hojo offered, carefully placing a hand on her arm.

"Yes," Kagome replied through clenched teeth removing his hand from her arm. Eri and Yuka glanced at each other at Hojo's boldness and sighed, keeping their opinions to themselves.

Kagome glanced at her friends and at Hojo and clenched her teeth unable to study anymore. "If you guys don't mind, I'm going to go right now."

"What's wrong Kagome? Are you feeling ill again? Do you need me to walk with you?" Hojo immediately asked.

Kagome frowned slightly at Hojo as she stood up. "I feel fine. I just have some things to take of at the shrine." Hojo looked hopefully at Kagome and pressed further, "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive!" Kagome gathered her books and belongings and rushed out the door. Once she stepped onto the street her miko senses picked up the auras of two distinct youkai. As of late, her senses have been growing stronger. At first it frightened her, but now she embraced it. Focusing her energy she narrowed her eyes as she recognized one of the auras and hissed "Inuyasha."

Kagome closed her eyes and inhaled. She concentrated for a moment before opening her eyes. Walking quickly to where the feeling was strongest Kagome found no trace of the hanyou. Craning her neck, she looked up but could only spot a pigeon flying away.

_Could I be imagining this_, Kagome mused. She had been thinking a lot of the hanyou and thought perhaps she had been playing tricks on her mind. However, out of the corner of her eye she spotted something and looked up to see a black blur leap across one rooftop to another.

However, Kagome could not think of any incident in which her miko senses had failed her and chose to trust what she was feeling. With the possibility of being followed by a strange youkai with no arrows to defend herself or the Shikon no Tama that hung so innocently from her neck, Kagome realized her life was in danger and quickly walked home.

Once inside the safe confines of her bedroom Kagome sat on her bed contemplating what she had felt and witnessed. She had sensed a youkai that was not Inuyasha but she could also sense Inuyasha's aura. Suddenly all the strange sensations she had been feeling of late made sense. She was being followed.

Kagome wondered why Inuyasha was tailing her. How could he have known she was in trouble and why had he not told her? After all, she was his closest friend and he hers.

Kagome decided she would confront Inuyasha about the matter but not until she calmed down some. She fell back against her pillows and spread her arms out a soft sigh escaping from her lips. Her life would never be simple, but somehow she no longer wished it to be.

She sat up and absentmindedly picked up her hairbrush off her bedside table and ran an index finger over the bristles before setting it on the table once again. Kagome could hear her window gently slide open, a keen nose sniff the air, and a tentative voice call out, "Oi!"

Still seething, Kagome spotted her hairbrush on her bedside table and threw it at Inuyasha, connecting with his ear. "Ow, what the fuck was that all about?"

"Don't play innocent with me!" Kagome spat. "Don't think I don't know that you have been following me!" Inuyasha's jaw dropped a little, his hand massaging his ear. He had promised her mother he would protect her. He also promised her that he would not let Kagome know about his little agreement. Inuyasha did not know what to say.

"So you don't have anything to say for yourself then!" Kagome shouted. "Typical!"

"Excuse me!" Inuyasha shouted back. "Do you even know what's going on? Do you? Or have you jumped to conclusions like you always do!"

"I don't jump to conclusions!" Kagome quickly shouted back.

"Oh yes you do!" Inuyasha screamed even louder. "And you scream and abuse this necklace when you don't get your way!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome growled, gritting her teeth. Inuyasha knew he hit a nerve and crossed his arms, looking at Kagome, "I dare you to say it. And while you're at it, I dare you to call me a half-breed too!"

Kagome clenched her fists at her side. She felt as if she had been slapped in the face and she was so angry she felt as if her body was on fire. "I won't give you that satisfaction."

"Fine!" Inuyasha shouted. "When you finally decide to grow up, you know where to find me!" Inuyasha then leapt out the window.

Don't worry I'm already working on the next chapter and it should be up soon.


	6. Uncontrollable Emotions

Uncontrollable Emotions

"Oh no he doesn't," Kagome, mumbled swinging her door open and running down the stairs. She was furious that he taunted her, called her childish, and abruptly left. She stormed out of the house and crossed the courtyard, grumbling as she bent over to pick up some discarded litter and toss it in a trash can before sliding the well house doors open with such force they almost slid back closed again.

"I'm gonna make him pay!" she grumbled as she jumped into the well, her blue pleated skirt almost catching on a splinter. She was so angry by the time she reached the Sengoku Jidai that she cleared the well within minutes and was in the midst of the village when she found him in a high tree just outside the village.

Inuyasha had been sitting in the tree seething, waiting to calm down as warm sunlight filtered through the leaves onto him. His emotions had been a combination of anger, frustration, and disappointment leaving the hanyou feeling slightly ill. He had spotted Miroku and Sango chatting on the porch of a hut and was grateful they had left him alone.

He had kept an important secret from Kagome and she had every right to be angry with him but he was planning to return to her era the next day to talk to her. Inuyasha was never good with words. His mother died when he was seven and with her death all his formal education as well. It had left him feeling inadequate and often awkward but that was his lot in life and he accepted it. Inuyasha sighed wishing he could talk to his mother for advice when his nose picked up a familiar scent.

"Inuyasha Taisho!" Kagome hollered his full title getting the hanyou's attention, causing him to jump up slightly. "Don't think you can just taunt me and leave!"

Growling, Inuyasha turned to find Kagome glaring up at him, her hands on her hips. He leapt out of the tree and landed before Kagome, noticing Miroku and Sango staring in their direction. Inuyasha was willing himself to calm down but his voice was full of emotion, "I don't want to do this now!"

Stomping her foot in the dirt for effect, Kagome shouted, "No, we are going to deal with this now!" Inuyasha merely raised his eyebrow at her stubborn display. She had not calmed down but had worked herself up even more. A few nearby villagers had come into the clearing to investigate the source of the noise.

"Kagome I don't want to fight like this!" He balled his hands into fists and placed them on his hips. "I have a lot to think about and I don't want to say anything I will regret later."

"Like that's ever stopped you before!" Kagome screamed as a large cloud mass began to fill the sky, slowly choking out the sun's rays.

Inuyasha picked up a rock and squeezed it in his hands, barely feeling its jagged edges against the skin. He then hurled it into the trees, a low growl escaping his throat. Kagome stood still, her eyebrows furrowing in anger at this display.

A sharp gust of wind blew into the clearing strangely reminding Inuyasha of the dangers of the Sengoku Jidai. "You shouldn't be here with the completed jewel. It's too dangerous."

"Dangerous! What about all those times you dragged me here before. What's different now?" Kagome's tone was serious but there was still anger in her voice.

"That was before the jewel was completed," Inuyasha replied through gritted teeth. "Do you know how many youkai have come to this village looking for it?" Behind her, Inuyasha could see Miroku and Sango nodding in agreement with him.

"But there is no one here now," Kagome pointed out spreading out her arms for affect. Growling Kagome loudly asked "What were you doing, spying on me?"

"Spying? How dare you accuse me like that?" he spat clutching his left arm. "I smelt something funny!"

"Liar!" Kagome hissed leaning in close so they were nose to nose. "Now what is the real truth?"

As the sky darkened with the appearance of more clouds, Inuyasha could feel the floodgates of his heart open and the sentiment that had brewing for years spill out. "Oh sure, accuse the stupid half breed! He doesn't have any feelings. And don't look at me like you don't know what I'm talking about!"

Kagome stepped back as if she had been slapped in the face. "I have never," she pleaded as she looked into Inuyasha's angry eyes. "Inuyasha you know I have never thought of you that way."

"Really? You sure don't act it!" Inuyasha quickly replied. "Why won't you let me go out with you in your era? Are you embarrassed of me?"

"Inuyasha…" Kagome pleaded. But Inuyasha would hear none of it. For some reason this argument struck a nerve. "I'm tired of it all. I'm always the odd one out, no matter how hard I try. You say you care but do nothing when the comments come, especially from Kouga. But when I call Kouga a name you 'sit' me. I'm tired of the double standard. I'm tired of the comments. It hurts that I'll never be able to get you cute little gifts like those human boys at your school. It hurts that I'll always be alone. Kouga is right, I'm just a mutt. I know my place in this world and I'm okay with it."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha, her fists clenched a her sides, as tears leaked out of her eyes, "Inuyasha, stop it!"

"What's the matter Kagome can't face the truth?" Inuyasha spat.

"No you can't face the truth!" Kagome countered. "You can be irrational, obnoxious and rude!"

"Well excuse me for not having a mother to show me these things," Inuyasha spat. "But I'm not surprised. You are always running home without thinking about how I feel."

Kagome clenched her teeth and glared at Inuyasha, "It's not like we are official or anything!" Kagome screamed. "Not when you still have feelings for Kikyo."

"Kikyo is dead, Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted back. "She died two years ago! What does this have to do with us?"

"Everything!" Kagome shouted back. "Don't you think I don't see you visit her grave? I know you still have feelings for her."

Inuyasha gritted his teeth, not liking the turn this argument was taking. From the corner of his eye he had seen Kaede leave a hut and stop and turn at the sound of her sister's name. Lowering his voice slightly, Inuyasha explained, "She was the first person to see me for who I am. I will always have feelings for her!"

"I don't know why," Kagome screamed, her voice going high with emotion. "She was always such a bitch to you! I don't know what you saw in her in the first place. She was a malicious, cold, calculating person who wanted to change you, don't you understand that."

"You shouldn't insult her like that!" Inuyasha shouted back. "And the situation fifty years ago was more complicated than that."

"You know what, I've had it!" Kagome spat. "I'm tired of playing second fiddle with you!" She spun around on her heels and marched away.

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha shouted at her retreating figure.

"Where else," Kagome replied without turning around. "Home!"

"Fine!"

* * *

Whew! Finally got that out. Sorry for the delay, but this chapter gave me writers block. I wanted to portray an argument so out of control that Inuyasha and Kagome say things they will regret later on. This chapter actually gave me trouble as I'm not very good at writing arguments.  



	7. The Wise Monk

The Wise Monk

"That was the first time I have heard Inuyasha speak so frankly before," Sango said as she spoke to Miroku and Kaede under the shade of a tree as they enjoyed lunch. The sun was out but it was not too warm and rather comfortable under the shade of a tree. Shippo was off playing with the other children, giving the adults a rare chance to talk freely. "Is it true? Are we one sided when it comes to him?"

Miroku took a small bite of his onigiri (rice ball) and chewed it while looking into the distance deep in thought. He sighed and merely stated, "I think we have misunderstood him."

The young monk took another small bite of his onigiri before explaining, "He was very young when he lost his mother and had to fend for himself. Things he should have been taught were not. But somehow he survived on his own. He's a lot smarter than we give him credit for."

"And things are not so easy for him" Sango added. "In this world, when you are different you do not get treated well."

"It is true. I have heard not so nice comments about Kagome's choice in suitors from certain villagers. I fear there may be trouble in the village," Kaede added, not voicing her other concerns.

She had noticed Kagome smiled less and less often, particularly when the villagers spoke to her. Kaede knew the young adolescent was uncomfortable with both the adoration and duty to the village. She knew the consequences a heavy heart could have on the jewel that hung so innocently around Kagome's neck.

"Oh dear," Sango whispered in worry. How she hoped for Inuyasha and Kagome to be together, but it seemed obstacle after obstacle stood in their path. She could not help feel for Kagome, seeing how much it hurt her friend to watch Inuyasha still pine for another. With spite in her voice Sango stated, "I just wish he would get over his obsession with Kikyo."

Kaede stiffened at Sango's remark, causing Miroku to clear his throat. The young youkai slayer looked at Miroku who discretely gestured to Kaede. Sango quickly regretted her lack of respect. After all, she knew what it was like to loose a loved one.

"I'm sorry Kaede. I didn't mean…"

"It's all right child," Kaede replied. "You two did not know Kikyo when she was truly alive." There was sadness in her voice as she spoke and her shoulders drooped slightly.

Sango looked over at the old woman, suddenly feeling sadness. She had always thought of Kikyo as a scorned woman, never as someone's sister. Suddenly she had felt ashamed and wanted to know more. "What was she like?" Sango finally asked.

"I was just a little girl then. She was a miko and liked to serve others, even those deemed unworthy," Kaede began. "But she lived a hard life. The villagers relied on her and admired her, much like they do Kagome today. But this consumed all her time and I could often see the strain in her eyes. I often saw her stare wistfully at other young women who were being courted, living the simple lives she would never know. I never saw her smile."

Kaede paused watching her young charges reactions. Both Miroku and Sango had stopping eating, interested in hearing the true story. Kaede smiled before continuing with bitterness in her voice, "Then one rainy night I recall very well she was given the jewel, her life changed drastically. Youkai came after her constantly. She grew fatigued."

Kaede sighed as she paused to watch a bird soar overhead as a gentle breeze bent the branches of their tree ever so slightly. "But once she met Inuyasha her life changed. She smiled and he smiled and I was happy. But the stress of having to protect the jewel was wearing her thin. I've heard that Kikyo wanted Inuyasha to become human. I think both hoped to be free of their harsh lives but fate had other plans for them as the both of you know."

"So Inuyasha really wanted to become human?" Sango asked. Miroku stroked his chin. Of the three of them, he knew Inuyasha the best. "Perhaps I think Inuyasha was tired of being alone and different and saw this as a way out."

"Perhaps," Kaede offered, "but we can only speculate." Miroku and Sango, nodded in agreement. Sango, never hearing Kaede's version encouraged her, "Please, continue."

Kaede smiled, "The day my sister died and Inuyasha was pinned to the tree I noticed something odd. The jewel grew more brilliant in Kikyo's hands and dull in Inuyasha's. And as Inuyasha was pinned to the tree of ages, I noticed a peaceful look on his face."

"That day you saw the true Inuyasha, Kaede," Miroku stated. "They say that youkai do not feel, are devoid of emotion. But it is emotions that drive Inuyasha, and to some extent his brother Sesshomaru, though he does not show it. Perhaps he is the most purehearted of all of us."

"I have wondered those same sentiments, Miroku," Kaede added. "The youkai world is ruled by power and youkai seem cold and heartless. But from what I have seen and heard from your travels, there are more to youkai than what we see."

"So where does this leave us with Inuyasha," Sango said grabbing a new onigiri from the dish. She looked at Kaede who appeared equally at a loss.

"Has he left the tree?" Kaede asked.

"Only for a short time. I think I spotted him going towards the well," Miroku offered.

"The well?" Sango asked. "Is he bothering Kagome?"

"Who knows Sango," Miroku explained. "We can't make assumptions as to the going-ons of the other side of the well."

"I think someone should talk to him," Kaede said sipping some water. "But I'm just an old woman."

"I'll talk to him," Miroku said popping a small onigiri in his mouth as he stood up. "It's been three days and he's hardly come out of that tree"

"Inuyasha," Miroku called to the sulking hanyou in the tree. He had barely left his perch in three days and was looking worse for wear. "If you won't come down, I am going to say it to you from here."

"Hmph." Inuyasha looked around and did not see nor smell the others nearby, and jumped from the tree to land next to the monk softly.

"Normally, I would not say anything about your relationship with Kagome as it's none of my business."

"Damn right it's none of your business." Inuyasha jumped in front of Miroku blaring his fists.

"I'm not going to lecture you," Miroku said with closed eyes ignoring the hanyou's threats. "I am only going to warn you about something. Will you hear me out?"

"I'll give you that much."

"Kagome is going to be going to university now, right?" Inuyasha nodded. "Well, I can only imagine that she will have many _male_ suitors coming for her."

"So, I'll just beat them down," the hanyou lied, not betraying the thought that he may have lost her. Miroku frowned. Inuyasha had learned to be more rational these past three years he reasoned, but when it came to Kagome he remained as rash as ever.

"No you won't!" Miroku said as he hit Inuyasha on the head with his staff. "That will make her hate you and drive her away from you. Remember. The jewel is complete and Naraku is dead. She does _not_ have to come here anymore." Miroku emphasized 'not' to drive his point home. Inuyasha's demeanor quickly changed from anger to worry.

"Then what am I supposed to do," Inuyasha said through clenched teeth. In his mind, however, he could feel the slight stirrings of hope.

"You give her no reason to pay attention to these suitors. You need to get over Kikyo. It's been two years. If you don't, you may find yourself alone. Then you profess your love and commitment to her. If she won't say it, then you should step up and be a man and tell her. _And _if the opportunity presents itself, you kiss her like she's never been kissed before. And that's all I'm going to say." The monk started to walk away, but Inuyasha stopped him, "that's not why we're fighting."

"It's not." Miroku froze in his tracks and turned around.

"It has nothing to do with male suitors, Kikyo, or the jewel. Well, it might have to do with the jewel but I don't know yet," Inuyasha stammered. But once he began, he found it easy to describe the events leading up to the fight witnessed by half the village three days ago. Miroku paused, now understanding what Inuyasha's brief trips to the well were about. He was looking for that mysterious youkai.

"That is a difficult situation to be in," Miruku sighed. After a few moments of thought the monk's eyes brightened, "but Kagome has probably been suspecting that something was awry and figured out what is going on by now. You need to talk to Kagome and to her mother."

"Yeah I know," Inuyasha sighed watching a beetle crawl along the grass. "But if she suspected something she should have told me."

"Maybe you should open up to her a little more," Miroku suggested. "Give her a reason to share things with you more." The monk stood up and dusted off his robes. "I hope that gives you something to think about," he said leaving Inuyasha to his thoughts.

Inuyasha leapt high into the Goshinboku and reclined in the upper branches, basking in the moonlight. He pulled out the article Kagome wrote and published and finally began to read it. He was shocked as he reached the end. It was a hypothetical essay on how using a wish to purify the Shikon no Tama would not purify the jewel.

_A wish,_ she wrote,_ if not stated precisely could be misinterpreted_. Kagome reasoned that _if one was to wish for world peace, the wish would be granted but society may be changed to a highly regimented and regulated one where personal freedoms and differences would be sacrificed._

She further reasoned that no wish is purely selfless. _For in the committing of a selfless act, personal satisfaction is often achieved. And personal satisfaction would likely taint the jewel allowing the darker souls trapped within more power._ On that tangent she also reasoned _a selfless wish bestowed by someone who was distraught would also allow the dark souls to remain unpurified._

"She's right," Inuyasha agreed. At that moment, he began to feel pride at what she had accomplished.

_Kagome told me it was her responsibility to protect the shrine one day_, Inuyasha thought. He knew no one else could do it. Sure, Souta technically could, but it was obvious that Kagome's spiritual powers were uniquely strong and the shrine was home to numerous powerful objects, including the bone eaters well, that could be deadly if left in the wrong hands. No one else was powerful enough to protect it. And her abilities were to be coveted. _Kagome has to take over or at least be in her world to help keep it secure. She knows it and accepts it, just like she did her job guarding the Shikon no Tama._

"But what about me?" Inuyasha said out loud. _I really don't have a place to call my own. I'm free to go and do anything I want._ Inuyasha's heart began to beat faster as a strange new thought entered his mind.

_Kagome, I'm willing to follow you anywhere._


	8. Farewell

Farewell

The following morning found Inuyasha before the grave where Kikyo's remains were buried. Although her undead form had been returned to the grave for two years, he often thought of her. Kikyo had been the first human other than his mother to accept him and he was so lonely he found himself attached to the miko, even after their fateful confrontation with Naraku.

Once he was awakened from his eternal slumber, Inuyasha was increasingly beginning to wonder if he was confusing companionship with love as his feelings for Kagome were much different, much more intense. He gripped a bouquet of flowers as he spoke, regret and sadness and guilt in his voice. But the young hanyou, after listening to Miroku's words, had come to a crossroads. It was time to stop his foolishness and start making decisions. It was time to become a man.

"Kikyo, I've hung on to you longer than I should have. I need to move on for both of our sakes. But I will never forget you. You were the first human other than my mother to show me compassion and friendship. You taught me to feel again, to have hope. Maybe if the circumstances were different things could have been better for the both of us. I just wish we had trusted each other more," Inuyasha paused, sniffling a little.

_That is a mistake I will never make again,_ Inuyasha vowed. Back then he did not know companionship. He dared not trust another person for it could mean death. "I hope you can finally rest in peace. Goodbye forever, my Kikyo." Inuyasha dropped the flowers onto the grave and slowly walked away. He was wiping the tears on the back of his hand quickly so no one would see his brief show of emotion when he saw the monk.

_Not now, I'm in no mood for this!_ Emotions often left him frustrated and flustered. Kagome understood this, and often left him alone to calm down, something he was grateful for.

"Inuyasha, what are doing?"

"Something I should have done a long time ago," he replied as he walked past Miroku, determination in his voice.

"You better not hurt Kagome." Before the monk could defend himself, Inuyasha grabbed the front of his robes and shoved him into a tree.

"What do you know? Passing judgment on the both of us like that. This is between Kagome and me. Stay out of it!" Inuyasha released a very surprised monk and stormed off towards the well.

* * *

Short and sweet. Not all chapters need to be long. Next chapter is the good one!  



	9. Forgiveness& Public Declarations of Love

Forgiveness and Public Declarations of Love

Kagome had just arrived home and had been sitting at her desk getting ready for a study session with her friends. Between finishing high school, preparing for university, fighting modern day youkai, and dealing with all the attention her published paper was causing was leaving her exhausted. But what left her most exhausted was her argument with Inuyasha.

She was grateful that she could not sense any youkai nearby, hopeful that any such beings would be tempted to stay away for a while until she reconciled with the hanyou. Kagome felt guilty for her behavior, allowing her anger and emotions to speak for her.

Perhaps she should have let Inuyasha explain himself instead of accusing him. After she did recall sensing the aura of a strange youkai and did spot a man too beautiful to be human. Looking back she was positive it was a youkai, and he was looking directly at her, and that mental image made her blood grow cold. How she wished she could speak to Inuyasha now, but he was probably still fuming on the other side of the well.

Inuyasha was not the only one avoiding her. Souta could be seen scurrying out of her way as of late, causing herself to reevaluate her own behavior. Resting her head on the desk she sighed, "I've been acting like a child."

During their fight, Inuyasha said something that echoed in her head for the past four days:

"_Why won't you let me go out with you in your era? Are you embarrassed of me?"_

Had she been that embarrassed of Inuyasha? All she wanted was to be closer to him but had been unconsciously pushing him away. Suddenly she felt ashamed of herself, but soon felt determined to make things right. Sitting up at her desk and pounding her fists on the desktop she announced, "I'm not going to push him away any longer. I'm going to fix this mess and I'm going to go show him Tokyo!"

Kagome frowned at her notebook and opened it, determined to learn the material, for school did not stop for her social life. "Only a little while longer," she vocally reassured herself. However, a knock at the closed window caused her to jump out of her seat.

_Not now. My friends will be over. _Kagome groaned as she opened the window. She still felt nervous about talking to the hanyou about their argument but had been so busy with all her responsibilities; she did not let it control her.

"Kagome, we need to talk. Now." Inuyasha's face looked flushed as if he had been running. In his hands was a bouquet of wildflowers he obviously picked in the feudal era.

"Now?" Kagome asked. She had wanted to prepare for her conversation, wanting to carefully pick her words.

"Isn't that what I said." Inuyasha's voice was tinged with annoyance.

"Well, excuse me." Inuyasha frowned at Kagome's reply. This conversation was taking a turn for the worse and Inuyasha knew he had to act fast.

"Here, these are for you," he blurted out shoving the flowers into Kagome's arms, a small blush forming on his cheeks.

"Thank you, they're beautiful." Kagome could see something was on his mind. "What's wrong?" she asked. Inuyasha looked down at the floor then up again, fidgeting.

"What are we?"

"Huh?"

"Are we friends? Or, are we a little more?" Inuyasha could feel his heart beat faster. Kagome's jaw dropped as she also felt her heart skip a beat as well.

_What is this all about?_ She asked herself.

"Well, we are friends that's for sure. But…" Inuyasha could feel his heart beating so fast he was finding it hard to breathe as he waited for her to finish. "But, I feel that no one knows me better than you. You are my best friend, but at the same time we are more than just 'best friends.' Why?"

"I," Inuyasha gasped. "I think I like you, a lot, and I worry about you and I don't want to loose you." Kagome's own heart was fluttering in her chest, her current problems seeming miles away. She stared at him in shock not saying a word. Inuyasha looked at her with hopeful eyes, which then shone with embarrassment and gut wrenching sorrow. "I'm s-sorry, I s-shouldn't have…"

She watched the hanyou leap out the window then turned to admire the flowers and as she held them in her hand the paper that was wrapped around them fell off. Written on the paper in Inuyasha's distinctive calligraphy was the words: _I will follow you wherever you go Kagome, if that is what your heart so desires._

"Oh Inuyasha…"

_I have to tell him now._

Inuyasha was at the well house, not remembering ever feeling so defeated. His body felt heavy, his breathing labored, and tears threatened to leak from his eyes.

_That's what I get for pouring my heart out to her. I should've never listened to that monk._ He had his hopes and dreams crushed on many occasions, but he had somehow believed that with Kagome things would have turned out different. As he was about to jump into the well, he could hear Kagome's voice.

"Inuyasha Taisho!" she screamed out of her window. "I love you and I have always loved you!" He felt his heart stop. She had poured out her heart to him and anyone else within earshot not caring that the whole neighborhood probably heard it. Inuyasha quickly ran back to the house to find her leaning out the window.

_Either I tell her now or I risk losing her forever._ Inuyasha felt his mouth go dry and could feel his heart in his throat.

"You know what? I love you too!" he blurted out loudly. Kagome gasped and smiled.

"Stay right there! I'm coming down!" Kagome disappeared from the window and tripped on her way down the stairs, ignoring the stares of her family and out the door where she ran towards Inuyasha but stopped short of embracing him.

"Is it true?" Kagome stuttered, taking his hands in hers. "That you will follow me anywhere?"

"Um yeah."

"Then I'm going to show you the world, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered as if she knew something, causing Inuyasha to frown a bit. "You'll see."

"I'm going to go now, so you can study." Inuyasha wanted to stay but was feeling shaky all over and was sure Kagome could feel his hands trembling. Did he just reveal his feelings to an entire city block? In his mind, however, he could hear the advice of a certain monk echo in his head:

"_And if the opportunity presents itself, you kiss her like she's never been kissed before."_

"Um, May I kiss you?" Inuyasha boldly asked. Kagome nodded and Inuyasha stepped closer to her, tilted his face hoping he was doing it properly, and leaned in to gently kiss her. It was clumsy and chaste, but for Kagome and Inuyasha it was magic.

_For once the monk's advice was good!_

"I'm…going…to…go…now," Inuyasha choked out in gasps as he backed away from Kagome. "Before…I have…a...heart attack."

"Will you visit me tomorrow? I would like that." Inuyasha nodded, as his voice had stopped working at this point, then ran to the well house leaving a stunned Kagome to gaze upon the Tokyo horizon in shock.

* * *

Finally! 


	10. Is This What Love Feels Like?

Note: There is a bit of a lime at the end of this chapter.

* * *

Is This What Love Feels Like?

"Inuyasha! Where is Kagome?" Shippo shouted as soon the hanyou entered the village. As the hanyou continued to ignore him, the kit followed him speaking rather loudly, "I know you went to the well. Why didn't you come back with her?"

"Uh huh," he absentmindedly replied walking past the child.

_I kissed her and she kissed me back. I can still feel her lips on mine._ Inuyasha thought feeling shaky all over, ignoring the fox youkai child chasing after him. He had experienced feelings of extreme hope, happiness, gut wrenching despair, and love in the time period of a quarter of an hour. Inuyasha was emotionally spent.

Yet Inuyasha felt warmth within his chest. Not physical warmth, but emotional. He felt loved, wanted. In turn, he wanted to do things for her for no reason. And although she was on the other side of the well and missing every part of her, he did not rush over the threshold of time.

_Is this what it feels like to be truly in love? _the young hanyou pondered. Inuyasha had never felt this way before. With Kikyo, they never had the luxury to let their feelings develop fully. He loved Kikyo, but Kagome made his heart flutter.

He settled under the shade of a tree and sat down gazing at the horizon. Night would fall soon. Puzzled, Shippo sulked away from the odd-behaving hanyou disappointed that Kagome did not return with him and paused as Inuyasha sucked in a breath as he licked his lips.

"I can still taste her on my lips," he whispered, which was also heard by a very confused Shippo. The kitsune shook his head and walked towards Miroku and Sango, who were also observing Inuyasha under the tree. Both knew that Inuyasha had gone to Kagome's era and were worried when he returned alone in a daze.

"Did something happen between him and Kagome?" Sango asked, concern in her voice.

"I am not sure. I hope nothing bad. I'd hate for either of them to get hurt," Miroku replied, wondering if his hanyou friend had followed _all_ of his advice.

"But this time he's behaving different. He's in some kind of daze."

_I'd be too if I got some action with a certain someone_, Miroku mused wondering just how inexperienced with girls Inuyasha was.

"Shippo are you okay?"

"No, I miss Kagome. Why didn't she come back with Inuyasha?" Miroku and Sango looked at each other, worried about what Kagome's extended absences would mean once she started university.

"I know Shippo. We all miss her. But we need to let Kagome and Inuyasha figure things out for themselves," Miroku explained, wondering if perhaps something good happened on the other side of the well. "Did Inuyasha say anything?"

"Not really except for tasting something on his lips." Sango and Miroku both snorted, holding in their laughter. Shippo just stared at them, confused.

"Did I say something funny?" the kit asked.

"Nothing," Sango said reassuringly, wondering if on the other side of the well a schoolgirl was gazing out her bedroom window looking at the sky as well.

"Kagome, Kagome," came from the voice of Yuka. The schoolgirl who was gazing at the brilliant blue sky turned to see Eri, Ayame, and Hojo behind her hoping the blush on her cheeks was not visible.

"Um, hi," Kagome said, smiling strangely.

"Are you okay?" Yuka asked. "You seem kind of out of it."

"Everything is fine," she said sighing and looking at the clear blue sky, leading her friends to the house.

"Then what was all that shouting about?" Kagome stopped and closed her eyes, feeling her cheeks grow hot.

"You, you heard that?" Kagome stammered her cheeks reddening even more, then noticed Hojo standing there. "Um excuse us Hojo, girl talk," she quickly said dragging her three girlfriends into her bedroom, where they saw the wildflowers and note on the floor.

Kagome fidgeted for a moment before stammering out," The screaming you heard was from me and Inuyasha."

"Did you guys get into a fight?" Eri asked in a critical tone.

"Not exactly," Kagome began smiling. "Inuyasha told me he loved me and we kissed out where you found me in the courtyard."

"See, I thought I heard 'Inuyasha Taisho I love you'" Ayume told Yuka and Eri.

"Did Hojo hear that?" Kagome gasped stooping to pick up the flowers and running out of the room. Eri noticed a square of rice paper on the floor and picked it up observing the ancient calligraphy that was so distinctive of Inuyasha's handwriting.

"Did Inuyasha write this?" Eri asked as Kagome returned with the flowers in a beautiful vase, looking flushed about something.

"Yeah, he did," she nodded, quickly taking the note and placing it in her bedside table. A knock at the door jolted the girls from their conversation.

"Hojo, we're s-s-sorry," Kagome stuttered as she opened the door to gaze at the hopeful adolescent. Suddenly she found it difficult to look him in the eye. "Got carried away with girl stuff." She gestured with her arms and the boy entered, looking longingly at Kagome. The lovelorn boy did not even notice the flowers on the dresser.

"Don't worry about it, girls," he replied with a confident smile on his face.

"Well," Kagome said composing herself "let's get started", all the while thinking of a certain someone on the other side of the well.

Shippo, Sango and Miroku kept throwing suspicious glances his way, so Inuyasha took off, finally settling in to a tree for the evening. Strangely he fell into a deep nap, which was unheard of on this side of the well. As usual he dreamed of Kagome, but unlike other dreams, they never were this vivid and they were never about a night of passion before.

Inuyasha snapped awake panting, disturbed. He had never dreamt, much less fantasized, about Kikyo in that way, causing him to feel guilt and shame. He was a hanyou, he knew where his role in the world was. Yet mere hours before the schoolgirl had professed her love for him to an entire city block making him feel like the luckiest man on the planet. And at the moment he realized his feelings were so much stronger for Kagome than they had ever been for Kikyo.

_Maybe I'm supposed to feel this way about her_, Inuyasha mused half-awake, trying to justify the dream and his past fantasies of her.

"But what do I feel about her?" he asked himself aloud. Fortunately, he was alone and no one could hear him. _I love her that's true. I would die for her. But I also want to hold her and kiss her again. And…_Inuyasha never got to finish his thought as he fell out of the tree.

"That's what I get for thinking about doing _that_ to her!" Inuyasha grumbled rubbing the bump on his head.

Kagome lay awake in her bed, sleep failing to claim her as the light of the bright moon filtered in through her window. All throughout her study session she had been thinking of the kiss she shared with Inuyasha feeling that familiar warmth in the pit of her stomach threatening to emerge. She closed her eyes and licked her lips recalling the feel of his lips against hers.

Opening her eyes halfway very slowly, Kagome sighed unable to get the hanyou out of her mind. But what she did next surprised even herself. Slowly she slipped her hand down under her pajama pants and into her panties where she could feel a throbbing sensation between her legs.

Kagome clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut as her fingers found a delicate bundle of nerves that sent pleasurable sensations across her body. Her other hand found its way to her breast, massaging herself.

"Oh Inuyasha," she gasped as she felt her fingers glide over that spot between her legs, the tension and pleasure growing stronger. A part of her felt as if it was awakening and she never felt more alive. But another part of her wanted Inuyasha to be the one doing this to her. Placing a finger inside herself, Kagome dared to think what it would feel like to have him inside her.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome hissed sitting up, panting lightly. What would he think if he found her like this? Her cheeks reddening, Kagome realized he would probably be embarrassed. She looked towards her window, the moonlight filtering in her room, hoping that one day she would be with Inuyasha like she had imagined.

* * *

Sorry not much action here. Next chapter will be a bit more exciting. I promise! 


	11. Milk Tea & Youkai

Milk Tea and Youkai

"Inuyasha! Where are you going?" Miroku called, Sango not far behind, to the hanyou as the strong wind tossed the silver hair around his face. Inuyasha paused in his footsteps, noticing how soft the ground felt against his toes, and closing his eyes slipped a small object into his haori. Another gust of wind blew in his face lifting his hair behind him making him look regal.

"None of your business," Inuyasha calmly said, a peaceful look on his face, as he continued his walk towards the forest where the well was located, leaving Miroku and Sango confused.

"You better not be causing any trouble for Kagome!" the monk warned waving his staff at Inuyasha.

"What!" Inuyasha replied with a raised voice, turning to face Miroku as he grabbed the staff.

"Relax. I don't want you to do anything that you may regret," he smirked with a devious look in his eye.

"Regret what?" Inuyasha frowned, growling. A harsh gust blew into the clearing along with a barrage of leaves and debris causing Inuyasha to let go of the staff and shield his face instead.

"You mean there is nothing going on between the two of you we should worry about," Miroku retained with feigned innocence as he brushed the front of his robes, sending small leaves and twigs into the air around him.

"I am not answering that," Inuyasha huffed as he headed into the forest occasionally picking leaves and twigs from his hair.

"Miroku, sometimes you need to just butt out," Sango said walking towards the village leaving the monk to stare at her retreating backside, "but aren't you just a bit curious!"

"No monk," Sango shouted back.

As violent the winds were in the Sengoku Jidai, the trees barely made a sound to the gentle breezes of the modern era. A bright sun shone in the cloudless sky as a flock of distant birds traveled across the blue expanse.

Inuyasha sat patiently under a tree in front of Kagome's school biting into an apple that Mrs. Higurashi passed to him with a knowing smile as he retrieved his bandana. He had wanted "dried potatoes" as he fondly called his favorite snack, but she merely pressed an apple into his hand and pushed him out of the kitchen, "She'll be done with school soon. Don't be late!"

As he watched a squirrel scamper up a tree he wondered if Kagome would be upset for meeting him at school but Mrs. Higurashi was a pretty convincing woman. And there was also the fact that he could not bear to be away from Kagome any longer.

The squirrel paused as it met another, both of their noses a few hair strands apart, reminding Inuyasha of the kiss the day before. The sun had been out like it was this day, although there were a few less clouds, and there was more of a breeze.

_Perhaps I'll get another_, he thought his cheeks reddening at the thought of their kiss. Despite his happiness, he could not help but wonder. Was the kiss as magical for Kagome as it was for him? Was he clumsy? Were his lips too dry? Or were they too moist?

"Inuyasha!" The sound of Kagome's voice startled him out of his thoughts. He slowly looked up to see her standing before him smiling. Miraculously she was alone, her friends not with her. Kagome placed her hands on her hips and smirked "couldn't get enough of me, eh?"

"Uuuuhhhh," Inuyasha managed to reply. He could feel his heart beat a little faster as he wondered what to say. A confession, a kiss, had left him flustered. Although he did not understand it, suddenly Inuyasha wanted to impress Kagome.

"C'mon, let's get some boba milk tea!" Kagome said taking his hand, leading him out of the courtyard.

"Boba?" Inuyasha asked with uncertainty, his cheeks reddening even further at the fact that Kagome had a firm grip on his hand. But all the same, he relished in the affection.

"Relax silly, it's food. You'll like it!" Kagome announced as they marched into the small shopping district and a small café with small round colorful plastic tables and matching stools. Boba milk tea was actually tea sweetened with condensed milk and small gelatinous balls of tapioca at the bottom that could be sucked up through a large straw. It came in several different flavors. Inuyasha sat at the small blue table frowning at the creation.

"What's wrong?" Kagome asked, with a hopeful look in her eye. She had been thinking of Inuyasha all day in class, delighted to find him waiting for her at school looking slightly rebellious in his traditional garments paired with a red bandana around his head. "Do you not like it?"

"I'm trying to decide how to eat it," Inuyasha calmly replied looking at the tapioca balls suspended in the bottom of the glass.

"Just take a sip! If a tapioca ball ends up in your mouth just chew it," Kagome giggled. Inuyasha glanced at Kagome as if she had gone mad then tentatively took a sip, making a strange face at the unique flavor and texture of the tapioca ball.

"Well…" Kagome prodded.

"It's not bad," Inuyasha answered smiling slightly taking another sip. That answer was enough for Kagome who was all too aware of her brother's dislike of the drink. The couple sipped their drinks in silence unsure of what to say before Kagome broke the silence, "Um Inuyasha, I want to apologize for all the things I said. I don't know what overcame me."

Kagome expected Inuyasha to rudely tell her she had every right to be sorry, but those words never came out of his mouth. "It's alright Kagome, I should have told you everything. I wasn't sure that I smelled or saw a youkai and wanted to investigate before I said anything but still I should have told you…"

"It's okay," Kagome interrupted. "What's done is done. Let's just forget it."

Inuyasha nodded and looked down at the table, wondering what to say next and hoping he would say it right. How he wished he still had a mother who would tell him the right words to say to make a girl's heart flutter. As he sat there he remembered he could _do_ something. His hand shaking, he retrieved the small object from his haori and with an unsteady voice said, "It isn't much, but I brought you something."

Kagome held out her hand and took the object from Inuyasha's shaky hand. He obviously had been nervous over this little object, making him more endearing to her. The object was a small wooden bracelet made of boxwood and elaborately engraved with sakura blossoms. It was simple but so very beautiful. Kagome slipped it on her wrist and smiled, "I love it! Where did you get it?"

"I, uh, ah, well" Inuyasha stammered not looking at Kagome, "I um, I made it."

"You made it! It's beautiful!" Kagome explained. She had been given gifts before, but never had anyone made something for her. Her heart beating faster, she leaned over the table and kissed Inuyasha. The brief brush of lips on lips was tantalizing leaving both Inuyasha and Kagome speechless.

"I, I am glad you like it," Inuyasha whispered looking down at the smooth tabletop. _Why do I always loose my voice when she kisses me_, Inuyasha frowned. He looked at Kagome who was gazing out the large glass window, a small blush apparent on her cheeks.

The schoolgirl was wistfully lost in thought. In less than a week, Kagome had discovered that youkai existed in her era, fought with Inuyasha, made up with Inuyasha, and kissed him, twice.

Inuyasha felt like he needed to do something with his hands. He looked around the café noticing another couple at a table next to the window, so blissfully lost in conversation. How he wished he wasn't so nervous at the moment. Spying his cup, he took a large sip of his tea, nearly choking on several tapioca balls that had traveled up the straw.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked, snapped out of her reverie.

"Feh, I'm fine. It'll take a lot to do me in," he choked out. Kagome giggled at a familiar tone of voice. Inuyasha's eyes met hers and he noticed there was a bit of strain in her eyes despite her smile, "Kagome is there something wrong?"

"I'm so happy now, but I can't help feel something is going to happen to tear us apart," she said in barely a whisper. "I'm just worried that youkai. What was he doing?"

"He was following you," Inuyasha darkly stated. He then looked down at the linoleum floor his mind replaying the fight over the rooftops of Tokyo, the battle he lost. "I am positive of that. He taunted me saying that you couldn't be with me the way you were all over that boy."

"What," Kagome shrieked, insulted. "What did you do?"

"I told him to not talk that way about you," Inuyasha darkly replied in a whisper. Balling his hand into a fist he continued, "Then I fought him, but I couldn't fight like I wanted to and he moved so fast as if he was dancing and I lost."

"It's okay," Kagome whispered back placing a hand on top of his. "_We'll_ figure it out. It's not the first time we have faced a tough enemy. What we can do is strategize."

"Strategize," Inuyasha smirked cocking an eyebrow taking another sip of his strange drink. "And what do you plan to do?"

"Well first," Kagome said with a sly grin as she retrieved a notebook and pen from her bag, "tell me all you know."

Inuyasha looked at her before taking a large sip, this time careful not to choke, and tentatively began, "Well it all began when your mother told me she could sense some strange auras around the shrine and asked me to watch over you."

"My mother," Kagome whispered, her voice harsh. Inuyasha frowned as he heard her voice and saw the tenseness in her shoulders, "You shouldn't be mad at your mother, she was only trying to protect you."

There was a hint of jealousy and sadness in his voice as he spoke. She often forgot things were not always so easy for Inuyasha, but still her mother should not have hid this from her, "I just wish people would stop hiding things from me."

"I'm sorry Kagome," Inuyasha replied. "I know what it feels like to be left out, but everyone's been so worried about you."

"What are you talking about?"

"You just seem," Inuyasha uncharacteristically paused looking for the right word, "anxious all the time, you don't smile as much anymore, and you always seem so…sad. Your mom loves you so much you should talk to her."

"I guess you're right," Kagome confessed and sat there quietly sipping her drink. She smiled and looked across the table, noticing how thoughtful he was trying to be as if he had grown up overnight, and merely said, "thanks."

"Are you going to be okay" Inuyasha asked. Kagome nodded, "but right now we really need to focus on our youkai problem."

"As I was saying, your mom said something felt funny so I patrolled the shrine and the parts of town you like to go to when I smelt a funny scent. I thought I smelled a moth youkai," Inuyasha explained scowling his face in disgust. "I spotted someone in the distance and ran after him but he got away. I explained all this to your mother and grandfather. I asked if there were any other _objects_ that could cause problems at the shrine and your grandfather told me everything was secure."

"Yeah right," Kagome smirked. "Sounga caused enough problems."

"I know," Inuyasha replied with sarcasm dripping in his voice. "I was attached to that _thing_."

"Oh I remember," Kagome added in an exaggerated tone.

"The second time I saw him was the time I fought him. He did not smell like a moth, though his aura felt the same. It smelled as if he was masking his scent. He taunted me about you, saying that you were all over that boy and I got mad so I reached for my tetsusaiga but he taunted me some more, saying I would destroy half the buildings with it, so we fought hand to hand, but he was so fast I barely got a punch or kick in."

"He was probably using fancy martial arts to throw you off," Kagome muttered gazing at the table deep in thought. "I think there are some books at the Shrine that could help you."

Inuyasha heard Kagome's comment but did not react to it. He smiled, suddenly realizing that his fight on the rooftops was not futile. "I did get a name though."

"A name," Kagome stated.

"Haburigami," Inuyasha coldly spat out.

"I got a good look at him, too," Kagome stated. "He looked directly at me before I went into WacDonald's. I drew a diagram." She said turning a page to show him. Inuyasha frowned at the picture turning it clockwise then counterclockwise. "Do you have a pencil?"

Kagome handed him a pink mechanical pencil causing the hanyou to laugh. Inuyasha took it and began to draw on the pages. After a few minutes there was a simple sketch of the youkai that had glared at Kagome. Seeing that image caused a shiver to go through her body.

"Yeah that's him," Kagome quietly stated. But as she looked at the picture she noticed how beautiful the pencil strokes were, at how detailed the image was. "Other than the subject matter, this is really good."

"Keh," Inuyasha defiantly replied crossing his arms and tucking his hands in his sleeves. Kagome merely smiled at the discovery of a hidden talent. She wondered what else was hidden behind those amber eyes. Both of their drinks finished, Kagome came up with an idea and with a twinkle in her eye said, "C'mon let's get out of here."

"It's a stupid idea," Inuyasha huffed as they left the shop and headed towards the WacDonald's to retrace the events that transpired a few days ago.

"But we might find clues!" Kagome insisted on Inuyasha's back as they leapt from rooftop to rooftop. Three years with Kagome had taught Inuyasha never to argue with a determined woman. He stopped

"His scent is no longer here," Inuyasha grumbled as they landed on the rooftop where he fought Haburigami.

Kagome climbed off his back and looked around the breeze tousling her hair, noticing how crowded the streets were below how close the neighboring buildings were. She imagined the fight; a series of blurs that could easily be missed if one did not know what to look for. "I think it may have rained that night."

"Scents don't linger long on these tall buildings," Inuyasha explained. "And don't forget, he was masking his scent."

"But shouldn't a bit of his original scent have rubbed off?" Kagome inquired turning to face Inuyasha.

"It all depends on the way the scent is disguised," Inuyasha voiced. "Perhaps he has found a way not to leave a scent."

"But he may have left something behind," Kagome announced spying something shiny on the rooftop. She walked over to it and using a handkerchief she picked up a shiny pendant, a flat silver square with a strange red stone in the center of it. "I can sense the magic in this."

"Let me see," Inuyasha asked kneeling next to her taking it in his hand.

"Be careful," Kagome hissed. "I don't trust it."

"Neither do I," Inuyasha quietly said passing the handkerchief back to Kagome. "I can feel the energy coming off it." Inuyasha watched as Kagome carefully wrapped the pendant in the handkerchief and tuck it in her bag. His eyes spanned the rooftop, not seeing or smelling anything odd, "C'mon there is nothing else around here. Let's go."

"Okay," Kagome replied, but stiffened as she felt a familiar aura that she could not place. As soon as she felt it, it was gone. She climbed onto Inuyasha's back and Inuyasha leapt down landing in a deserted alley. Tentatively, he grabbed her hand and led her to the street.

He paused sniffing the air, "strange."

"What's strange Inuyasha?"

"I thought I smelled an inu youkai," he said hopefully as he led her down the street.

"What?" Kagome replied following him as they ran down the street.

"It's gone," Inuyasha hissed.

"Was it our youkai?" Kagome asked.

"No, I don't think so," Inuyasha replied. "It was, something different. There are youkai here, definitely, but they keep to themselves. I was just…"

Kagome waited for him to continue but he said nothing so she implored further, "You were just what?"

"It's silly," Inuyasha said looking wistfully into the street.

"You're not silly," Kagome replied squeezing his hand. Inuyasha nodded, still embarrassed by his musings. Perhaps, he thought, he would tell her later. "C'mon let's go."

Inuyasha squeezed her hand back, afraid to voice his basest of all hopes. He had thought perhaps that the youkai of this era were more enlightened in their thinking, more educated, more accepting of a half-breed like him. Perhaps he would not feel so lonely anymore. _Fat chance_ he thought.

"Higurashi," the voice of a boy awakened Inuyasha from his thoughts. He gripped her hand tighter as they turned around to face the boy.

"Hi Hojo," Kagome replied as she held firmly onto Inuyasha's hand. "What are you doing around here?"

"I was on my way to the bookstore when I spotted you. You ran out of school so quickly I wasn't able to…" He paused when he noticed that Kagome was holding hands with a strange boy with long white hair dressed in traditional garments.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked.

"Um I am," Hojo stammered. "I've got to get going. I'll see you later," he cheerily said getting on his bicycle and riding off.

"Strange kid," Inuyasha muttered.

"Yeah," Kagome absently responded, watching the boy disappear around a corner. She sighed and turned to Inuyasha, "Let's head home, "I'm starving."

"So are there going to be any more proclamations of love across the courtyard anytime soon?" Gramps announced in the middle of dinner. Kagome coughed violently as Inuyasha choked on his tea.

"Don't know what you're talking about," Kagome muttered.

"Yeah, you must be imagining things," Inuyasha added sinking in his seat a little.

"Would anyone like more fish?" Mrs. Higurashi announced rather loudly, ignoring the fact that everyone had generous servings on their plates.

"Mom, I already have some," Sota said aloud, glaring at the blushing couple. "But I bet Inuyasha and Kagome would…"

"Be quiet dear." And with Mrs. Higurashi's calm statement not a word was said and everyone returned to eating in an uncomfortable silence.

"So do you think the whole neighborhood heard?" Sota asked.

"Probably," jii-chan quickly replied.

"Would anyone like some sake?" Mrs. Higurashi quickly added in a futile attempt to bring civility to the table.

"Hell no!" Inuyasha said through clenched teeth. He quickly noticed her glare and realized his slip of bad language and looked at the table, the blush returning to his cheeks. "S-sorry."

"Don't worry dear. You're not the one I'm annoyed with," Mrs. Higurashi explained glaring at her father and son.

"Did I miss something?" Kagome asked after a few moments of contemplation after watching Inuyasha retract.

"Nothing at all dear," Mrs. Higurashi said rather too nonchalantly.

Jii-chan cleared his throat and downing the tea in his cup, held it aloft and said "sake would be good to celebrate…"

"That's enough father," Mrs. Higurashi sternly warned.

"I'm sorry," Kagome said, putting her chopsticks down. It was obvious she was furious. "I'm not hungry anymore."

"Me neither," Inuyasha added pushing his plate away, looking down at the table. Both had cheeks stained a distinctive shade of pink. After they left the kitchen, Mrs. Higurashi glared at jii-chan and Sota causing the both of them gulp.

"That will never happen again, got it?" she scolded. Jii-chan and Sota nodded.

"Geez, that dinner was embarrassing!" Inuyasha said examining the soft cotton material of his new sleeping kimono as he sat on his futon spread out on the floor of Kagome's room.

"You're telling me," Kagome vocally agreed. On the inside she was relieved that everyone was okay with their relationship. Actually, they seemed strangely happy about it. "We'll just have to learn to be more discreet."

"Yeah, I don't know why our personal life is that interesting. Your brother, your grandfather, Miroku…"

"My friends, villagers…" Kagome continued, counting on her fingers.

"People just need to learn to butt out!" Inuyasha finally blurted out, his stomach growling. A knock at the door stirred the two teens from their embarrassed state.

"Come in," Kagome replied. Both Inuyasha and Kagome were relieved to see Mrs. Higurashi with a large tray in her arms, "You two barely ate. I thought you guys might be hungry."

"Oh yeah, thanks," Inuyasha smiled as he and Kagome got up and ran to the door to take the tray.

"Take it easy you two," she smiled placing the tray on the floor. She laughed as she watched her young charges sit on the floor hastily pick at the dishes with their chopsticks.

"Relax no one is going to take your food away," Mrs. Higurashi calmly said causing both Inuyasha and Kagome to pause, chopsticks mere inches from their mouths and cheeks puffed out, and stare at her. "Oh and Inuyasha do you like that sleeping kimono I found for you?"

"Um, yeah, thanks," he muttered averting his eyes. Kagome looked up at her mother and smiled. She had a way to make everyone feel comfortable. Mrs. Higurashi smiled fondly at Inuyasha and Kagome, "Good night you two. Just remember to wash up when you're done."

Inuyasha and Kagome nodded and watched as Mrs. Higurashi close the door behind them before returning to their plates. Since the day he fought the youkai after the Shikon no Tama, he had barely ate or slept and found himself rather hungry. Between bites, Inuyasha cast a few furtive glances at Kagome all the while thinking, _She kissed me today._

He placed his empty rice bowl down on the tray a fang hanging outside his lip. So lost in his reverie he did not notice that Kagome had taken the tray and dishes and left the room. Only when he looked up did he notice he was alone in the room.

"Kagome," as soft voice said as she stood at the kitchen sink washing the dishes, humming softly to herself.

"Yes mama," she replied turning around, placing the dish on a drying rack. Mrs. Higurashi walked over to the sink and took the bowl in her hands drying it and placing it in the cupboard. She looked over at her daughter, "So you two had a run in with a youkai."

"Not exactly," Kagome quietly explained running a sponge over a dish. "He merely looked at me but Inuyasha was the one to fight him."

"I see," Mrs. Higurashi replied. "I suppose he told you that I ordered him to watch you."

Kagome stiffened, recalling Inuyasha's confession earlier. She had felt betrayed by the one she least expected, her mother. "Why didn't you tell me?" Why?"

Mrs. Higurashi blinked at the emotion in Kagome's voice. She took another dish and slowly ran her towel over it. "All my life I've had these strange senses and feelings. All my life I just ignored them until the day you fell down the well. I now know I have some miko abilities, but they are not as developed as yours."

"Mama," Kagome whispered wide eyed with wonder.

"I should have said something to you dear," Mrs. Higurashi explained. "But I was unsure of what I felt and did not want to worry you over nothing so I gave Inuyasha a small task. I'm really sorry Kagome."

Kagome smiled and looked at her mother. She wanted to be mad at her but she had always been so supportive of her adventures into the past and her relationship with Inuyasha. "It's okay. You don't need to worry. I'm a lot stronger than you think."

"I know," Mrs. Higurashi hugging her daughter.

Kagome opened her bedroom door to find Inuyasha lying on his futon his hands behind his head gazing at the ceiling. "Hey."

"Hey," Kagome replied walking over to Inuyasha and kneeling next to him. "Watcha thinking about?"

"Nothing," he replied looking into her eyes, cradling her neck with his hands. He felt his heart beat faster and his breath hitch in his throat as Kagome inched closer. Soon he felt her lips on his and closed his eyes. Inuyasha moved his lips with hers, hugging her close. Slowly their lips broke apart and they gazed at each other for what seemed an eternity.

"Wow," Inuyasha whispered as he slowly released her. Kagome smiled and kissed him once more, this time on the cheek, "Get some rest, dear, you need it."

Inuyasha smiled nodding as he watched Kagome walk to her desk to complete her homework for the next day. Slowly he sank down onto the futon and pulled the sheet over him, sleep blissfully overtaking him as he thought,

_Kagome kissed me…_

I hope Inuyasha did not come off too OOC. I was trying to the awkwardness between those two.


	12. Viva Kagome

Viva Kagome

Kaede kneeled in her garden, tending to her neat rows of precious herbs. In a basket next to her was a pile of neatly stacked leaves. Although it was still early and the sun had yet to bake the earth, sweat began to form at her brow as she wrapped the leaves in a clean cloth and pause to tug at some leaves before moving to the next row.

Looking up she saw Sango and Miroku return from an early morning expedition to patrol the village. Smiling she watched as the young monk's hand trail to her backside and the young youkai slayer knock him on the head with her large hiraikotsu. The old miko waved and as they approached she greeting them standing up, "I take it everything was clear."

"Yeah, the only cursed thing I found was Miroku's hand," Sango muttered. Kaede smiled, somehow suspecting that the young woman enjoyed the attention of her male suitor. She surmised it would only be a matter of time before Miroku would not longer be a monk. "Sango, I've got the herbs you wanted to make more of that repellent,"

"Thanks," Sango replied as the sound of rippling cloth caused all three to turn their heads towards the clearing to find Inuyasha effortlessly leap towards them in graceful strides. He truly was a beautiful creature Kaede construed and could see what her sister saw in him.

"Any more youkai attacks?" Inuyasha inquired as he approached them and sat on the railing, noticing that Miroku and Sango did not show any signs of fatigue. A very good sign, the hanyou surmised.

"Not since we started patrolling and setting bait far from the village," Sango explained.

"How is your youkai problem?" Miroku asked.

"Not much has been happening since I fought him. We went looking for clues but Kagome only found a strange pendant with a strong aura." Sango looked at Miroku then Inuyasha, "What youkai problem?"

"Oh some weird guy keeps following Kagome around," Inuyasha explained examining his claws. "But since I fought him, he hasn't shown his face around." He looked up at everyone and smirked, "I guess I scared him off!"

"Be careful Inuyasha," Miroku warned. "This doesn't sound like any other youkai we have fought in the past." Inuyasha glared at him, then looked down at the neat rows of small herb plants to which Kaede had resumed tending to, "he fought unlike anything I've seen before without the use of any weapons."

"And ye didn't use ye sword," Kaede inquired pulling at the large weed that seemed so intent on outgrowing her small shrub. Inuyasha crossed his arms and breathed in the crisp morning air looking up at the sky, "I can't use the tetsusaiga like I want to otherwise I will destroy hundreds of humans. Many people live so closely together in Kagome's world and the buildings are so tall."

"So that explains all the small scorch marks in the clearing near the well?" Miroku pondered aloud stroking his chin.

"And what is that supposed to mean monk?" Inuyasha growled, fearful that anyone discover his secret that he trained for battle. That he was practicing small-scaled attacks with his sword. Amongst youkai, that was a sign of weakness. His father had left him the tetsusaiga, but he still had work to unlock its secrets.

"Nothing," Miroku said smiling with his eyes closed. Inuyasha turned his face away and muttered, "Yeah, just as I thought." Kaede and Sango looked at each other and smiled, a silent understanding of the females into the bizarre intricacies of male behavior. The wise miko stood up with her small basket of precious herb trimmings and wiped her brow with a sleeve; "We are going to have a meeting two weeks from now on what to do with the jewel. Kagome needs to be here."

"Keh," Inuyasha replied leaping into the air, his voluminous clothing rippling behind him.

"Hey where are you going?" Miroku called. "We could use your help!"

"Back to the shrine," Inuyasha paused looking back. "Mrs. Higurashi's got some things for me to do."

"Mrs. Higurashi," Miroku stated.

"Kagome's mother," Sango stated. "Apparently she really likes Inuyasha." Miroku looked at Sango as though she were mad, "What is there to like, he's rude, inconsiderate…"

"I heard that!" Inuyasha called from the distance. He resisted the urge to return to the village and pummel Miroku for that comment. But as he leapt through the well, to modern day Tokyo and breathed in the heavy humid air he felt calmer.

_What's happening to me_, he thought. _Why do I feel more…complete?_

"Mrs. Higurashi," Inuyasha tentatively spoke as he approached her in the storage shed. She was leaning down removing several cans and large brushes from the neat but crowded bottom shelf. She stood up and turned, "Oh hi Inuyasha. Just the person I was looking for."

"You, you were," Inuyasha gulped, feeling the sweat form at his forehead. Mrs. Higurashi looked at Inuyasha and smiled, wondering what had made him so nervous.

"Um, I need to ask you something?" he slowly choked out.

"Sure," Mrs. Higurashi said, rolling up her sleeves. Inuyasha looked down at his toes then looked up and let out a breath he had been holding. "I just wanted to ask you if I could, um, court your daughter."

The nervous hanyou's ears twitched with anticipation then confusion as the woman before him giggled softly. Mrs. Higurashi covered her mouth with her hand attempting to stifle her laughter, "Oh Inuyasha you don't need my permission if you want to date Kagome."

"Huh?" Inuyasha was confused. It was only proper to ask the parents of a maiden for her hand. That is what he often witnessed in the villages. That was what he was supposed to do, wasn't it?

"Relax," Mrs. Higurashi softly said placing a hand on his shoulder. "I trust my daughter to have excellent taste in her suitors."

"Oh," Inuyasha replied staring at the floor. He felt embarrassed. How he hated feeling clueless about these things. "I'm sorry. It's just what I thought was proper…"

"Inuyasha," Mrs. Higurashi firmly said. "As I said, I trust my daughter and in this era you don't usually need to ask the parents of the girl you like permission to date her. I would be pleased for you to," she paused smiling, "_court_ my daughter. In fact I'm glad you did for it shows me you respect my wishes as well as Kagome's"

Mrs. Higurashi smiled fondly as she watched a large smile spread across Inuyasha's face and his eyes become alive. "Now that we have that settled Inuyasha, we've got a lot of work to do today."

"Keh," Inuyasha smirked, thinking how proud Kagome would be if she found out he had spoken to her mother, but he would never tell her this. Smiling he followed Mrs. Higurashi into the shed.

Kagome stood before her locker untying her indoor shoes and replacing them with her brown loafers. Although classes had gone well for her, she could not help feeling anxious as if something bizarre was going to happen. Kagome only could hope that it would not involve Inuyasha, specifically Inuyasha being the cause of the drama. As much as she loved him, he did have a talent for attracting attention in this era.

She strapped her black leather book bag onto her back and stepped out of the school, surprised to find her three girlfriends chatting with Hojo. Kagome hid behind a large tree and bit her lip as she listened in on the conversation.

"Do you guys know anything about the strange boy Kagome is with?" Hojo asked.

"What boy?" Eri inquired, looking a bit nervous as she exchanged glances with Yuka and Ayume.

Hojo scratched the back of his head,"He's really weird with bleached blonde hair, tan skin, and light colored eyes."

"You've just described half of Tokyo," Eri stated.

"Well he was dressed in old fashioned clothing and I've never seen hair so long it almost fell to his knees."

"Oh you mean Inuyasha," Ayume proclaimed eliciting glares from Eri and Yuka, "He's Kagome's…" Kagome watched as Yuka nudged her and quickly explain, "He works at the shrine and is a good friend of Kagome's."

"Yeah," added Eri. "He's a little eccentric but really nice once you get to know him." Hojo looked at the three girls and unconvincingly replied, "Yeah, you're right."

Kagome waited for her friends to leave before leaving school. She frowned to herself as she made her way home, the same thoughts echoing through her head. Was it wrong to lead him long for this long?

But just blocks from the shrine Kagome stopped, feeling the aura of a youkai nearby. She balled her fists feeling determined wondering if that youkai had been the cause of her anxiety. She could only hope Inuyasha was nearby.

"I know you're there," Kagome spoke aloud. "Come down and face me."

No one stepped down to face her, though the aura grew stronger. She could feel a strange aura course through her body, as if _something_ was being awakened. As she neared the park, she called out again, "I said come down here!"

A calm breeze blew through her hair, tousling it around her face. As she brushed the errant strands out of her face, she noticed a figure moving amongst the trees out of the corner of her eye. Seconds later that figure was standing before her and one thought reverberated through her skull:

_Where are you Inuyasha?_

Inuyasha had finished painting the torii, the red gate that marked the entrance to the sacred grounds of the Higurashi Shrine. His sleeves were tied back and a leather cord restrained his hair with his ears neatly tucked underneath the thick mass. Small beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. He stepped back admiring his work, "not bad at all. It's actually really good!"

"Well done Inuyasha," Jii-chan said coming down the steps. But Inuyasha wasn't paying attention. Something crackled in the air as if something was not right and both Jii-chan and Inuyasha felt it. Growling Inuyasha muttered, "Kagome is in trouble."

Jii-chan felt cold as he watched Inuyasha leap off into the air as a blur and quickly scaled the steps.

Inuyasha arrived just outside the park to see Kagome face a completely different youkai, a young woman barely an adolescent. Feeling the powerful aura emanating off Kagome, Inuyasha could feel goose bumps form on his skin. Something rooted him to the high tree and he watched.

"Why do you follow me?" Kagome firmly spoke, her body rigid not with fear but with strength. The adolescent swallowed and merely glared at her, "You will do my father's will."

"Your father's will?" Kagome inquired characteristically placing her hands at her hips, ready for a fight. The girl dramatically flicked her long dark hair over her shoulder and threw a curse at her opponent. Kagome gritted her teeth and focused, a small barrier encapsulating her form. She reached into her pocket and threw a sutra at the young youkai, "I bow to nobody's will, cat!"

"A cat youkai?" Inuyasha hissed ready to leap down and help Kagome as he watched the young woman leap into the air to avoid the attack, the toes of her left foot singing as they brushed against the sutra.

"Impudent fool!" she hissed as she unsheathed a long thin sword that was not visible only moments before. Kagome frowned, _why hadn't I seen that before._

Kagome froze, suddenly frightened at the prospect of facing a sword. She could battle curses and spells with barriers and sutras. But hand to hand combat frightened her and she was unarmed.

_If only Inuyasha was here,_ she frantically thought as the girl charged towards her with the sword shouting, "Know your place miko!"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, eliciting different reactions in the battling youkai and miko. Startled the girl turned her head to look at the source of the sound, missing her target. Kagome had found her bearings, her strength, in Inuyasha's voice and swerved to the right avoiding the blade. Raising her hands before her she released her spiritual energy.

The young cat youkai gasped, surprised at the amount of spiritual energy that poured forth from the young miko. Feeling her skin scorch she stumbled backwards, her hand firmly gripping her sword. Kagome stepped forward noticing for the first time how young the woman was. She was small in stature and appeared to have just entered adolescence. "You're just a child."

"Humph, at least I'm not human," she choked out, her throat coarse as if in pain, as she carefully stood up. Summoning her last bit of strength she leapt into the air and onto a tall building where she disappeared. From his tree, Inuyasha wanted to go after the child, but his heart was urging him to look after Kagome.

"Are you okay?" he asked landing before her and hugging her tight against him. Kagome smiled and loosened herself in his grip and looked up into Inuyasha's eyes, "I think I'm okay. Actually I'm more than okay."

"That was amazing!" Inuyasha proclaimed releasing her from his arms and placing his hands on her shoulders. "I've never seen you fight like that before! Where did that come from?"

"I…I don't know," Kagome side with wide-eyed wonder, unable to find the words to describe what had happened. It was as if her spiritual powers had been lying dormant in her for so long had finally fully blossomed. And as Inuyasha took her into his arms once again she felt more secure in her place in the world.

Well another chapter done! Sorry for the slow pace, but it will slowly build up to more action.


	13. The Child

The Child

Haburigami leaned over the young adolescent on the futon placing a cool wet cloth over her warm forehead. He looked out the large shoji window at the fading sunlight, the sky a brilliant canvas of reds, oranges, and yellows. Despite his composed demeanor he was furious in the fact that a miko and a hanyou were out somewhere in Tokyo unscathed while his daughter lay incapacitated.

"Child you should not have gone after them alone," he calmly stated to the thirteen year old. The young adolescent opened her brilliant green eyes and looked at Haburigami. Her limbs felt heavy, her entire body ached as she fought the fever. She slowly spoke with hoarseness in her voice, "Father she was just a schoolgirl. I thought that I…"

"Shhh," Haburigami urged, placing the blanket over her small body. She shivered slightly as she watched her father, trying to read him. He quietly admonished her, "Kazuko you need to rest."

Kazuko looked up at her father's identical brilliant green eyes, her face full of concern. She tentatively reached up gently stroking his cheek with her hand, her brows frowning slightly in pain. "I can't rest when there is so much to worry about."

"Be still child," Haburigami whispered taking her small hand in his. "All will be well." Kazuko looked out the window as her father let go of her hand which she let fall to her chest, as she watched the last traces of color leave the sky. She sighed watching Tokyo light up in the distance, her mind too excited to let her body rest no matter how tired she was.

Her father had changed, prone to periods of quiet and solitude disappearing for hours at a time. He had grown cold, cunning. Yet what puzzled Kazuko the most was his growing obsession with the young miko and her hidden power. Yet she still loved her father and would do anything for him.

The sound of the shoji door sliding open awoke Kazuko from her thoughts. She looked to the door to see a small girl in a kimono that was obviously too large for her with her long brown hair messily flowing about her bound into the room. Kazuko smiled as she saw her younger sister, but frowned as she saw her face streaked in tears crying, "I was so scared, Kazuko!"

"Quiet Takara," Haburigami warned with a low growl in his chest, "Kazuko still needs her rest." The small child nodded with a look of dejection on her face and took a half a step back, digging her toes into the fresh tatami mat.

"I'll be okay," Kazuko smiled from the futon. Takara, hearing her sister's words ran to the futon kneeling next to her sister. She had new tears brimming her eyes and tried to cover them with her long dark bangs, "but I was so scared."

Takara held out her hand that Kazuko quickly and fiercely gripped. She looked over at her father and smiled, "don't worry, I'll be okay." Haburigami looked down at his daughters and nodded before quietly slipping out of the room.

Kazuko smiled and lifted the bed sheet, "come here." Takara smiled and crawled next to her sister cuddling next to her as she spoke, "Takara, everything will be okay. He didn't mean to snap at you like that." The small child nodded, her breathing uneven, "I know, I know…"

"Hey," Kazuko cooed wrapping an arm around her sister's shoulders. "Everything will be alright, I promise." Takara relaxed in her sister's embrace and her breathing evened eventually falling asleep.

Stars littered the sky, creating a sense of serenity as they graced the lit up buildings and neon signs of modern day Tokyo in the distance. Kazuko smiled, finally relaxing. She knew she would be fine, and the difficulties her small family faced would not last forever.

The young youkai knew she would need to be strong. She had survived her first battle with the miko. But she had noticed something odd about Kagome, as the dog hanyou had called her. She could see in the miko's eyes that she did not want to harm her, surprised at how small and young she was. She could see the look of conflict written on her face as she lay on the cement, her body scorched from the purification energy.

Could it be possible that her father was targeting an innocent young woman? It was possible. Until recently they lived a peaceful life in the hills overlooking Tokyo. He should not have had any business with a shrine maiden and a dog hanyou. Those thoughts filled her with revulsion. And in that moment as she watched the stars twinkle against the night sky, she vowed she would make things right.

And although her body was weak, she felt stronger than she had ever before as she made her decision. She would have to defy her father, but it was the right thing to do. Kazuko felt peaceful and smiled, soon feeling her mind settle down as sleep finally overcame her.


	14. My Mother's Face

My Mother's Face

Like a bird Inuyasha soared over rooftop to rooftop as Tokyo opened its eyes to another day. The streets and trees and buildings glistened from the raindrops that coated them, the only remnants of a rainstorm the night before. On his hip was his sword and slung over his shoulder was an arrow and a quiver of bows. He would take occasional glances to the wet street below where Kagome was walking on her normal route to school. It was a little game of two young people newly in love, as Kagome would glance up ever so subtly to see a flash of red or silver, or perhaps both. He landed gently on a tree then on a wall.

"Having fun," Kagome smiled. "What are you going to do when I have to take the train?"

"You'll see," he sniffed before gracefully leaping into the air again. He watched from the roof as she entered the train station and waited for the train number to leave the station and followed along its path. Kagome's jaw dropped then formed a coy smile as she saw the familiar silver and white through the raindropped-streaked window. A few stops later and she left the train station to smile upon Inuyasha squatting on a wall smirking, "took you long enough."

"Well don't get left behind," Kagome smirked back walking pausing in her steps as she thought she heard a strange sound from Inuyasha, as though he was suppressing a cough. Turning around she saw Inuyasha smirk, then sneeze violently and nearly fall off the wall.

Are you okay?" Kagome called out running towards the wall. Inuyasha sniffed and crossed his arms looking to the heavens, his voice a little deeper, "Feh, nothing's wrong with me!" Kagome smiled and before stepping through the gates into school sweetly saying, "Sure."

Mrs. Higurashi sighed as she swept the wet leaves that accumulated during the rainstorm in front of the shrine, pausing to shake the broom every so often to as leaves stuck to the bristles. She smiled as she saw a flash of red, "Inuyasha, grab a broom and help clean up this mess before any tourists show up!"

"Keh," she heard him mumble as he ran to the storage shed to grab a broom and set to work, glad to catch him before he ran off. And as the first tourists arrived, every errant leaf and piece of litter had been cleaned up leaving the Higurashi Shrine spotless. Inuyasha and Mrs. Higurashi got to work rearranging the storage room as jii-chan tended to the visitors, a group of western tourists in awe of the ancient shrine.

Dust floated in the air of the storage shed as boxes of artifacts littered the floor. It had taken most of the morning to label and rearrange the items. Mrs. Higurashi wiped her brow as she looked over at Inuyasha. He had been unusually quiet and subdued the entire morning. And most strangely, his ears drooped instead of swiveling around at the slightest sound.

"Father, do you think something is wrong with Inuyasha today?" she whispered as he entered the storage shed about to comment about the neatly stacked and labeled shelves.

"Nope, he's just as moody as Kagome," Jii-chan loudly stated as if it were fact causing Mrs. Higurashi to smile. But she also noticed that Inuyasha did not make a comment. Surely he would have heard her father's comment and respond with an equally sarcastic remark. She marched to the doorway where Inuyasha was leaning against the doorframe his arms crossed looking into the courtyard and asked "Are you okay?"

"Feh," Inuyasha mumbled, unaware that his voice was a little deeper this day, "I'm fine." Mrs. Higurashi frowned and marched over to the hanyou. Inuyasha paused and turned to face the woman, who merely placed a hand to his forehead.

"Hmm, just as I suspected," she calmly said.

"What are you going on about," Inuyasha grumbled. Removing her hand, Mrs. Higurashi calmly stated, "From the looks of it, you got the flu that has been going around lately."

"The flu?" Inuyasha looked at her as if she were insane. Mrs. Higurashi smiled a toothless grin up at him, "Yes, the flu. Now get inside before you get any sicker."

"I ain't sick!" Inuyasha protested crossing his arms and looking away from her. "And you aint my mother."

"I may as well be," she retorted. Inuyasha was about to voice his objection but unfortunately for him, a coughing fit overcame him.

"Mhmmm," Mrs. Higurashi sighed, rolling her eyes and tugging his sleeve as her father laughed admiring the storeroom. "C'mon."

"Now I take it you may not have been exposed to this virus back home so I do not suggest you going back until you have fully recovered. Who knows what could happen if the people of your village were exposed to this," she explained as Inuyasha glared daggers at her when she entered the kitchen as he sat at the table, his arms crossed and a thermometer in his mouth.

Truthfully, Inuyasha was conflicted. It was nice to be fussed over, but it bothered him. He was not used to being coddled over. And it brought up painful memories of his mother and how she would do the same and how much he missed her.

The beeping of the thermometer causing him to jump a little interrupted his thoughts. Mrs. Higurashi pulled the thermometer from his mouth and smiled gently.

"Why don't you go up to Kagome's room and get some rest," she said patting his shoulder. "I'll bring you some soup and medicine, okay?" Inuyasha nodded, not even attempting to protest. Why even bother fighting with her when he would loose anyway. Besides, he was tired and a warm bed would be nice.

He stepped into Kagome's room and inhaled, faintly catching her scent, missing her deeply. It would only be a few hours, but he wanted her near feeling slightly uncomfortable of being coddled by her mother. He changed into his sleeping kimono and sat on the futon leaning against the wall drawing his knees to his chest and resting his head on his arms that embraced his knees.

As he listened to the call of a distant bird outside, the sound reminding him of the garden walks he would take with his mother. He recalled how beautiful she was, how the wind carried her hair, the way she would look at him with soft caring eyes and a warm smile on her face.

Her face? Inuyasha raised his head trying to recall her eyes, the shape of her nose, the curve of her smile. But the images would not come to the young hanyou. Dropping his hands to the floor, he quickly balled them into fists. How could he have forgotten his own mother's face?

Heavy tears soon formed in his eyes but he did not blink them away. Inuyasha could not recall feeling this emotionally raw since the death of his mother and the near death of Kagome. He looked down at his bedsheets and closed his eyes, feeling the tears leave small tracks down his cheeks.

Inuyasha opened his eyes at the sound of a soft knock at the door and quickly ran his sleeve across his face, attempting to erase all traces of his somber mood. Yet as Mrs. Higurashi entered the room with a heavily laden tray, she could see the fire in his normally intense glare had gone out.

"Why so glum?" Mrs. Higurashi announced setting the tray before him. Inuyasha looked down at his bedsheets as if lost in thought, "nothing."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled. The strong hanyou before her looked so lost without Kagome. She could see how this boy loved her daughter and smiled,"you miss Kagome, huh? Don't worry, she will be home in a few hours."

"Huh?" Inuyasha looked at Mrs. Higurashi with a strange look, as if she spoke in a foreign language. She kneeled on the floor next to him and merely looked at him with kind eyes, "Inuyasha, what's bothering you?"

"Nothing is bothering me,"Inuyasha muttured averting his eyes so he could not make eye contact, sighing softly. He looked directly at Mrs. Higurashi to see that she was still looking directly at him. He sighed again, seeing the concerned look in her eyes. "Why do you care?" he softly asked.

"Because you are in pain," Mrs. Higurashi calmly stated as she continued to gaze at Inuyasha. How he loved her daughter and she was sure he would do anything for her. It was a perfect match in her opinion. Her daughter was no ordinary human, blessed with the gift of sight, the ability to heal, and the power to purify. No ordinary human could compliment her the way the hanyou before her did.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder, "you're part of our family, you know." Inuyasha's eyes grew large and looked at the woman before him and replied in barely a whisper"but I can't hardly remember my own family."

He watched as Mrs. Higurashi stand up and pick up a beautiful red lacquered mirror with Sakura painted on it off Kagome's desk and hold it before him, "Inuyasha, just look at your face. Your family is closer than you think."

Inuyasha gently took the mirror from her hands and gazed into its surface. And that is when he saw it, his mother's eyes, her nose gazing back at him. He brought his free hand to his cheek, seeing perhaps for the first time all that his parents had given him.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled and deciding not to press further, made her way to the door, "Eat your soup and drink your tea. It'll make you feel better."

"Okay," he responded gently laying down the mirror and taking the large bowl as Mrs. Higurashi stepped out of the bedroom and gently closed the door behind her. He glanced at the clock wondering what Kagome was doing at school today.

Kagome smiled as she stepped out of the school gates noticing that the raindrops that decorated the buildings were all but gone and the pavement dry and the sun straining to emerge from the clouds.

"You did really well on that test Kagome," Yuka said as Eri, Yuka, and Ayume followed Kagome out of the school grounds. Eri smiled, "I bet it's because of all the attention her boyfriend gives her."

"You're just jealous," Kagome smiled leading them to the train station. Ever since they came to her house and heard her proclamations of love and discovered a pile of wildflowers on her bedroom floor, Kagome had been the subject of their teasing. At first she blushed embarrassed of all the attention but now she merely took it in stride.

"And why would we be jealous?" Yuka smirked as they climbed onto the platform. Kagome turned around and smiled, "because you don't have boyfriends."

The train came to a screeching halt before them, tousling their hair about. The four of them climbed on taking spots near a pole. As the train pulled out of the station, Kagome smirked "But Hojo's still single!"

"But Hojo still likes you," Ayume said with airiness in her voice. Kagome frowned almost loosing her balance as the train stopped at a station, "but he hasn't brought me any gifts lately, has he?"

"Did something happen?" Eri pried. Kagome nodded looking down at the dirty floor of the train car, "Yeah, he saw me with Inuyasha the other day."

"What!" three adolescent girls loudly stated, causing several heads to turn in their direction. Kagome pulled the chord and the train came to a stop, causing the four girls to almost loose their balance. The four of them exited the car and left the station as Kagome explained, "we weren't doing anything other than holding hands when he rode up to us on his bicycle. He wanted to ask me something but then he looked at me strangely and quickly rode off."

"Well now we know why he was asking about Inuyasha," Yuka said as they left the train station and began their walk to the shrine. Kagome nodded, having overheard that conversation earlier.

"Yeah, he said Inuyasha was very weird looking but I think he's very cute!" Ayume stated. Kagome looked over at Ayume, "He's mine!" The foursome giggled as they walked down the sidewalk until Eri spoke up, "What about his old girlfriend."

"Oh," Kagome said with sadness in her voice. "She died three years ago."

"I'm sorry," Eri said. "I didn't mean…"

"No guys it's okay," Kagome explained. "Inuyasha's relationship with her was very complicated." Kagome was puzzled at why she felt so sad about it. Essentially they were rivals. But Kikyo came before her, had lived a tragic life, and suffered an equally tragic death. She was a miko, much like her, and had inadvertently taught Kagome so much. And when she died, she left behind a sister, Kaede, whom Kagome loved very much...

"Kagome, Kagome."

"Huh? Oh sorry," Kagome replied coming out of her stupor. Ayume placed a hand on her shoulder and asked, "Are you okay?" Kagome nodded, "Yeah I'm fine. I'll just go home."

"Okay Kagome, we'll see you at school tomorrow!" Kagome waved and solemnly walked towards the shrine all the while thinking of how Kikyo had died but she had lived. She quietly slipped into her house, calling out "I'm home!"

After receiving no response, she shrugged assuming everyone was in the shrine and climbed the stairs and creaked her bedroom door open, surprised to see a sleeping hanyou in his futon.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome loudly exclaimed causing the hanyou to slowly open his eyes and sit up, his hair a mess and his ears drooping, "hello."

She sat next to him, noticing the jagged sounds of his breathing and the flush of his cheeks. He was obviously ill. Inuyasha gripped her wrist and smiled, "you're home."

Kagome smiled at the desperation in his voice. It was obvious he missed her! She could feel her own heart flutter and warmness in the pit of her stomach. Instead she placed her palm on his warm forehead and frowned, "you're sick."

"No shit!" he groaned lying back down on his bedding. "Your mom said it was inla-, fla-." A small giggle came from Kagome as she retrieved the thermometer from the tray, which she placed under his tongue, "It's called the flu. Normally it takes a week to get over but you should be fine in a few days."

"Ugh," Inuyasha moaned covering his faces with his hands. Kagome smiled and looked down at her hanyou, "How are you feeling?"

"Awful." Inuyasha smiled as Kagome blinked at his honest response. There really was no point to lying. He looked and sounded awful. If Mrs. Higurashi could tell he was not well, Kagome would surely be able to.

"Do you want some tea?"

Inuyasha nodded watching as she brushed some errant strands of hair out of his face and collect the dirty dishes off the tray. With a stern look she brought the thermometer towards his lips gently said, "Now don't take that thermometer out of your mouth until I come back."

Kagome smiled and left her bedroom humming softly, delighted with the thought of looking after a compliant Inuyasha for a change. Finding her mother in the kitchen she asked "So have you been looking after Inuyasha?"

"Oh yes, he has the flu dear," she explained. "He won't be going through that well until he gets better."

"Huh?"

"We aren't going to be responsible for any influenza epidemics in the Sengoku Jidai."

"Right," Kagome smiled. "So he's been listening to you?"

"Of course," Mrs. Higurashi replied. "Would you mind starting some rice dear?" Kagome nodded as she prepared the tea and plugged in the rice cooker adding the requisite cups of rice and water, then hurried upstairs quickly with a new tray.

"Hmm, your fever is pretty high," Kagome, said looking at the thermometer before measuring out some medicine and handing it to Inuyasha. Inuyasha took a sip of the tea commenting, "this is the strangest tea I've ever had."

"I don't think it was around Japan in your era. It's called chamomile and I put a bit of honey it too," she smiled watching Inuyasha finish it, obvious that he liked it. Inuyasha looked into Kagome's eyes and whispered uncharacteristically, "thank you."

"Just rest," Kagome whispered back stroking his warm cheek. Inuyasha relished in the touch. Somehow it just felt right. Perhaps if he had gotten ill before he kissed her on the shrine grounds he would have protested, denied being sick. But something changed in him and it felt nice to be cared for by the one you loved. Now if only he could breathe properly, cease coughing, and not feel so cold and achy he could actually enjoy this.

He lay down and sighed the moment Kagome placed a cold cloth on his forehead, enjoying the bliss without the prying eyes of Sango, Miroku, or Shippo. It was just he and Kagome in their own little world.

"How come you're not sick?" he asked sitting up the cloth falling onto his lap. "We've been around each other the most."

"I got a flu shot," Kagome explained.

"A flu shot?" Inuyasha moaned gripping his head. Gritting his teeth he said, "why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"Well you always said hanyou don't get sick, so I never bothered to take you to the clinic with me. And I never thought you would be susceptible to modern viruses that have mutated through generations and generations. There are many different strains of the the influenza virus that actually undergo mutations year after year, so scientists have to predict which strains to include in the shot each…"

"Ah never mind," Inuyasha grumbled laying back down. "I don't care anymore."

"Just get some rest," Kagome said replacing the cloth on his forehead. "My mom is making some more soup for you."

"Okay," Inuyasha smiled as he watched Kagome adjust his blankets. She smiled back at him, "I'll be at my desk doing homework but if you need anything just let me know."

Kagome retreated to her desk smiling as she heard snoring and quickly set to work on her homework, her heart still beating furiously in her chest. When had she come to love Inuyasha so much, when had he learned to trust her? The change had been so slow that she had not noticed the changes until now, when he needed her. She brought her hand to her heart and smiled.

"Kagome, Inuyasha," a boy's voice came from the door causing Kagome to return to the present. Inuyasha stirred as Kagome opened the door to Sota carrying a heavy tray in his arms laden with plates and bowls.

"Sota!" Kagome exclaimed taking the tray from his arms. With hopeful eyes, he smiled and looked up at his sister, "Here's your dinner. Is Inuyasha okay?"

"Course I am," Inuyasha called from his futon coughing lightly. "I'm not that easy to off!"

"Then can you help me with my homework tomorrow?" Sota asked kneeling in front of Inuyasha with wide hopeful eyes. Inuyasha leaned closer and blinked, "What do you want me to do?"

"Help me build a rocket! It's a small model of a real one that has flames shooting out of one end and shoots into space," he explained waving his arms around frantically.

"You mean one of those things that go to the moon," Inuyasha smiled, a strange gleam in his eye. Kagome laid the tray down on the tatami mat on the floor next to Inuyasha's futon and smiled, "and how do you know that?"

"You told me about them, the first time you served me ramen!" Kagome gasped, recalling the memory, "You were listening."

"Yeah," Inuyasha said reaching for a large bowl of soup on the tray. Sota inched closer looking Inuyasha in the eye, "so can you help me?"

"Sure kid," Inuyasha replied ruffling Sota's hair. Sota then ran out of the room, "great!"

Kagome picked up a bowl of soup and smiled longingly at Inuyasha. "You know it's going to be a small rocket, no bigger than his high, she said gesturing with her hand.

"I know," Inuyasha replied spooning his soup into his mouth, "I'm not stupid."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped about to retort but then closed her mouth, not wanting to start an argument. She watched him slowly eat, then place the bowl on the tray and look at her with a serious look in his eye, "Kagome, I'm sorry I didn't pick you up from school today. I don't like you walking home alone with that strange youkai out there."

Kagome picked up her tea and took a sip before meeting Inuyasha eye to eye, "It's okay. I think we are not going to see that gang for a while after what I did to that kid. Besides I walked most of it home with my friends."

"I just can't help to worry," Inuyasha whispered taking his cup into his hands and staring at the steam that collected over it. "These are not what we are used to dealing with."

"I know," Kagome confessed taking a sip from her cup. "I'm not sure if I'll be able to do what I did to that kid again. But since that day I've felt strange, as if my body is on electricity."

Inuyasha looked up at Kagome with wide eyes, "I know, I can feel the energy come off you." Kagome looked down at her food, not sure what to think of this confession. Should she be happy that her abilities were getting stronger or should she be upset that this was one more aspect to her that made her more alone in the world?

"Kagome," Inuyasha said in a low voice, "What is wrong?"

She sighed and not looking up from her soup replied, "I don't know what to think, I mean I should be happy that I'm getting stronger but I kinda feel like a freak."

"Kagome, if anyone looks at you any different because you have been blessed with spiritual powers then that person does not deserve to be your friend." Kagome looked up to see Inuyasha leaning towards her smiling. Her lips curved into a smile, "you're right. I was being silly."

"And if anyone thinks of you less because of that, I'll teach 'em a lesson." Inuyasha paused to cough then looked up at a smiling Kagome sheepishly, "Once I'm over this blasted flu!"

"Thanks, now finish your soup," Kagome gently scolded.

* * *

Poor Inuyasha! I really had fun writing this chapter. In case you are wondering, I had Inuyasha stay in his futon rather than in Kagome's bed because that is what he is more used to from being born in the Heian era. This is a lead up to some really cool stuff coming in the next chapter. 


	15. The Fever Dream

The Fever Dream

Kagome awoke to the sound of Inuyasha coughing softly in his sleep. She quietly slipped out of bed and knelt next to Inuyasha gently placing her fingers on his warm forehead.

_You really are sick;_ Kagome frowned brushing his bangs out of his eyes noticing that he was softly wimpering in his sleep.

_A fever dream_, Kagome mused. She stroked his cheek yearning to help him, but all she could do was comfort him. Or was it?

Deep within her, Kagome could feel something strange stirring. It felt an instinct guiding her to use her gift to heal Inuyasha. Closing her eyes she placed her hands over Inuyasha and concentrated, focusing on easing the nightmare. She had not done this before but she did not feel fear.

Slowly she could feel his aura react to hers, willing him to relax and his fever to calm down. But as she felt Inuyasha relax before her, she was not prepared for the images that floated in front of her eyes.

Kagome found herself in another world, a small rural village surrounded by fields of rice patties and straw covered small huts and people working hard to tend their land in very old style traditional clothing. A small boy huddled in a circle surrounded by children and adults. Kagome felt her heart skip a beat as she recognized the familiar red.

She ran towards the mob, stunned to see Inuyasha huddled in the center of the crowd, a thick cord around his neck. But this was not the Inuyasha she knew. This was Inuyasha as a small child, completely alone and unable to defend himself.

There were bruises and cuts along his face and body, his firerat torn. The crowd would take turns beating him with sticks, fists, and feet. She knew his mysterious garment would mend itself, but the boy that garment covered she knew would carry these scars with him.

A man handed a whip to a young boy and instructed him to use it. Reluctantly and with shaking hands the boy whipped at him causing young Inuyasha to yelp out in pain, earning a scolding from what Kagome mused was the boy's father for not using enough force. The boy whipped at him harder this time earning praise from his father and more yelps from Inuyasha. Tears could be seen leaking out of his eyes onto his stained cheeks as the boy whipped him again and again.

More whips from more of the villagers joined this. Little Inuyasha attempted to crawl away from the torture but was met with a hard whack to the back of the head with a long bamboo stick. Barely conscious, the boy tried to shield his body from the attacks.

Kagome felt ill at this sight. She had seen cruelty in the war with Naraku, but nothing as perverse as this. These villagers disgusted her and she was determined to end this torture. Unarmed, Kagome ran to the mob desperate to save young Inuyasha…

A scream echoed into the night as Kagome forced herself from the nightmare. Inuyasha's eyes snapped open to find Kagome looking down at him tears brimming her eyes. Feeling ill, he unsteadily stood up and stumbled out of the room.

Mrs. Higurashi ran into her daughter's room, noting the electricity in the air, and crouched next to her daughter, hissing into the night, "What happened?"

"Oh, mom, Kagome sobbed into her mothers embrace. "It was horrible, just horrible."

"What's horrible dear?" Mrs. Higurashi added in a soothing tone. Kagome sniffed, "I tried to heal Inuyasha's fever when he was having a bad dream and I saw his dream, but, but I think this may have really happened."

"They were beating him, mom, and he was only a child," Kagome added. "And, and, one man gave his son a whip and ordered him to beat Inuyasha with it."

"Shh, it's all in the past. It's over," Mrs. Higurashi explained. "Everything is going to be alright." Kagome nodded, her tears ceasing at her mother's words and pulled away from her mother's embrace, "I knew he was treated bad as a child, but I never thought it would be that bad. And I could feel his emotions. He's still so angry."

Mrs. Higurashi kindly waited for Kagome to finish speaking before replying, "It can take a long time to come to peace with that, but you can help just by being there. And I can see it in the way his face has changed, the way he trusts you that he has begun to heal."

Her mother's words were a shot of encouragement and slowly Kagome could feel her confidence rise. She smiled softly, "Thanks mama."

"I'm going to check on Inuyasha," Mrs. Higurashi explained standing up. As she entered the hallway she gazed upon her father and her son. Souta, with a look of worry on his face hesitantly asked, "Is everything okay? It felt like an earthquake or bolt of lightning hit the house."

"I can still feel the energy in the air," jii-chan added. "Such strong spiritual energy!"

"Yeah, me too," Souta nodded looking to Kagome's open bedroom door in wonder.

"It's nothing to worry about. Now off to bed! Both of you!" Mrs. Higurashi scolded as she knocked on the bathroom door. When she got no response she carefully pushed the door open to find Inuyasha sitting on the floor, his hair in disarray and his cheeks wet with tears.

She filled a glass with cool water from the tap and handed it to him, knowing he had been ill. "Here, drink this. It will make you feel better."

Mrs. Higurashi sat down on the floor next to Inuyasha and quietly spoke, "Kagome told me she saw into your dream. Is that true?"

Inuyasha nodded, his shoulders sagging slightly as he sipped the water. "I've always wanted to protect her from that, from what happened."

"Kagome is a lot stronger than she appears to be," Mrs. Higurashi added. "And you shouldn't be ashamed of your past. It makes you who you are."

Inuyasha looked at Mrs. Higurashi in bewilderment before she explained further, "You have been through so much, but you are still here. Don't lock _Kagome_ out. She only wants to help you"

"Is Kagome okay?" Inuyasha choked out. "I can still feel her…_aura_."

"She is," Mrs. Higurashi explained. "I think she was a little surprised, that's all." Inuyasha closed his eyes and mused at what happened. Slowly he opened his eyes and whispered, "I should go talk to her."

"I think that is what she needs right now," Mrs Higurashi agreed as Inuyasha stood up and slowly walked into Kagome's bedroom and sat down on the floor next to her. The pair sat in silence for a moment before Kagome spoke, "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," Inuyasha whispered back. "Are you?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." Inuyasha looked over at Kagome and wrapped an arm around her shoulder causing her to stiffen in surprise then relax into him. Quietly he asked, "What happened?"

Kagome was silent for a long time thinking of the best way to explain what happened before she finally spoke, "You were having a nightmare, a fever dream, and I tried to heal you, to make the fever go away but instead I saw your dream as you did."

"Oh so that's what happened," Inuyasha mused. Kagome leaned on Inuyasha's shoulder and slowly asked, "So did that dream really happen?"

"Yeah, it did," Inuyasha darkly replied looking at the floor. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"It's okay Inuyasha," Kagome reassured.

"No it's not!" Inuyasha whispered back. Kagome loosened herself from his arms and looked at him pleadingly, "Why isn't it?"

"Look, my past is my own and no one elses. I don't want you to worry or think certain things about me." Inuyasha's voice was full of urgency.

"Inuyasha," Kagome countered, "We can't go back and change what I saw. But I don't think any more or less of you. If anything, I understand you more and feel even closer to you." She paused before adding, "It was humans that did that you, not youkai."

"Yeah," Inuyasha harshly replied. "'Caught me off guard. Learned my lesson that day." Kagome's breath hitched as she watched Inuyasha build up a wall around him again. Sighing, she pointed out, "I'm not with you because you can destroy hundreds of demons or are stronger than any human. I'm with you because of the person you are on the inside, the person who is always watching out for everyone else, who would never abuse the power you do have, who makes me so happy I could fly and at the same time so frustrated I could pull my hair out."

Kagome had grabbed Inuyasha's hand and placed it over his heart, leaving the poor hanyou speechless that Kagome had said such kind words about him. A small blush formed on his cheeks, "But that's not me…"

"But that's what I see!" Kagome quickly countered before Inuyasha could lapse into self-doubt.

"Feh," Inuyasha huffed crossing his arms. Kagome was about to retort but decided to back off. Inuyasha had a tragic part of his past revealed and was probably feeling a bit vulnerable Kagome mused. She surmised that if such a tragic event had happened to her, she would not want it revealed to the world either. People were not very kind in their words she had come to understand.

Kagome sighed as Inuyasha looked down at the floor, unsure of what more to say. Inuyasha looked calm enough as if he was taking the night's events in. Stroking his cheek, Kagome whispered, "You should know by now that I love you no matter what and I would like to think that you trust me and feel comfortable with sharing your past with me."

A soft gasp escaped Kagome's lips as a lone tear leaked out of Inuyasha's eye. Moving closer to him, Kagome hugged him. She could hear him sniff as he cried quietly but said nothing as she merely chose to be there for him.

"I try to forget and not let it bother me, but why does it still hurt so much?" he whispered. Entangling her hand in his hair Kagome responded, "Its because you are alive. And to live is to feel. But this pain is what makes you stronger."

Inuyasha sighed and hugged Kagome; "It hurts less now that I have you."

"I'm glad," Kagome smiled. "I want the one to heal your heart."

"From the day you pulled the arrow from my chest, it has hurt less and less." Kagome gasped loudly as tears began to fall down her cheeks. Inuyasha froze, panicked, and gripped Kagome's shoulders and looked at her with tear stained cheeks, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. I made you cry."

"Don't be," Kagome whispered. "This is all I've ever wanted. I'm just overcome with emotions right now. Whether you like it or not, I do cry for you."

Inuyasha moved closer to Kagome and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, "I'm sorry. I am not used to be this close and open to anyone before. Please forgive me if I don't know what I'm doing."

"You don't have to apologize for anything," Kagome quietly stated leaning into him. "And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go into your dream."

"Its not your fault." Kagome nodded, "I know."

The two sat there in the darkness holding each other. Finally Kagome added,"You should be in bed."

Suprisingly he obliged nodding and crawled back into his futon and accepting the thermometer Kagome offered. He closed his eyes, resting his forearm on his forehead not noticing that Kagome had left the room.

Kagome quickly came back with a bowl of cool water and a wet cloth pulling the thermometer out of a surprised looking Inuyasha's mouth as he opened his eyes, "What is all this?"

"Your fever is still pretty high," Kagome sighed pouring some medicine into a measuring cup for Inuyasha and passing it to him, which he sat up to obediently take. But as he laid back down on the futun, Inuyasha began to chuckle softly, catching the attention of Kagome as she placed a wet cloth on his forehead.

"What's so funny?" she demanded playfully. Smiling Inuyasha answered, "You expended all that spiritual energy and I still have my fever."

"Yes, that is true," Kagome, replied through gritted teeth, trying to find the humor in the situation.

Inuyasha could see the tension in her jaw and quickly stopped laughing. Looking into her eyes he told her in all seriousness, "You have gotten stronger, a lot stronger."

"I know," Kagome quietly replied looking down at the floor. Inuyasha sat up, the wet cloth falling into his lap and whispered, "What's wrong?"

"I've felt it for while and I thought I could control it, but I wasn't able to tonight." Inuyasha looked at Kagome, understanding exactly what was going on. "It was that way for me with the tetsusaiga. I don't know how you can channel it and control it, but you will. There is no Naraku and the jewel is whole so you have nothing to worry about. And those youkai bothering us are no match for us!"

Kagome froze for she had never heard Inuyasha refer to the both of them as a pair before. She smiled although her heart felt heavy with her own self-doubt, "Thanks Inuyasha, but I'm really scared. What happens if I'm not able to control myself and, and…"

"What do you mean Kagome?" Inuyasha asked placing his palm on her cheek. Kagome grasped the hand that was stroking her cheek and choked out, "I don't think I can keep the jewel safe anymore."

"Do you want me to carry the jewel? Is that what you want?" Inuyasha tentatively asked, unsure of what Kagome wanted of him. He only wanted to end the pained look that frequented her face so often lately. She nodded slowly pulling the necklace it hung from around her neck and placing it Inuyasha's hand, "I trust you."

Inuyasha carefully draped the jewel around his neck, tucking it beneath his sleeping kimono. "Everything is going to be okay, Kagome. You will learn to control your spiritual energy. We will take care of those pesky youkai."

"I know," Kagome replied hugging Inuyasha. "Now get some sleep."

"Yes ma'am," Inuyasha smirked laying back down on his futon. He rolled over so he was facing Kagome and closed his eyes. She brushed the strands of hair that framed his face with her fingers watching him sigh at her touch then placed the cool wet cloth against his forehead. He looked more comfortable.

"Are you feeling better?" Kagome whispered delicately tracing his ear with her finger.

"Yeah," Inuyasha whispered back. "Thanks for asking." She kissed him on the cheek and watched as his breathing evened out and he fell into a deep sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sorry for the long delay in updating this story! Has everyone seen Inuyasha: The Final Act yet? I'm glad they have decided to finish the series.


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